


The Cutie With The Mohawk

by AdorabloodthirstyKitty



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-01
Updated: 2013-08-23
Packaged: 2017-11-27 18:55:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 23,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/665314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdorabloodthirstyKitty/pseuds/AdorabloodthirstyKitty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tavros is starting his last year in highschool and hopes that, despite being put in a wheelchair, it will be another normal year. What he doesn't expect is the new friends he will make and all of the drama that will start because of them. Rated M for all the 100d language and a few twists and turns in later chapters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. dAY 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I just wanted to thank you in advance for taking the time to read this! I plan on continuing this soon and hope to update it pretty frequently. I hope you enjoy it! The characters are from the amazing mind of my god Andrew Hussie.

Tavros Nitram slowly opened his eyes, his room dark except for the alarm clock on the bedside table which was currently blasting "I Hate Jimmy Page" by Mindless Self Indulgence, one of his favorite bands. He groaned slightly as he turned towards the clock, trying to hit the snooze button. He only succeeded in knocking it to the ground, the music still playing. He groaned again and dropped his arm, waiting for the song to end before getting out of bed and into his wheelchair, turning the alarm off, and setting it back on the table.

He had been in an accident over the summer, causing major damage to both of his legs. He would be in a wheelchair for at least a few more months, and require physical therapy to restore the strength in his unused legs. He had already been in the chair for about two months and had gotten used to it, but his friends still insisted on pushing him and helping him whenever they could.

He rubbed his eyes as he rolled out of his room, going down the hall to the bathroom. He turned the light on, blinding himself as he went to the bathroom. He rubbed his eyes and made his way back to his room, grabbing some clean clothes and heading back to the bathroom for a shower. He made sure he put bags over both of the casts on his legs as he turned the water on and waited for it to get warm. He then started pulling his pajamas off, thinking about the day ahead of him.

It was the first day of his senior year of highschool and he was pretty nervous. Well, he was always pretty nervous, but now he was even more nervous than usual. As he put his towel and clothes in his chair next to the tub and got under the running water, he thought about the summer he had spent with a couple of his friends. Most of the time he had just been playing RPGs on the computer, but he had hung out with his friends Nepeta, Terezi, and Aradia a few times. He couldn't wait to see them again, even though they had hung out only a couple weeks before.

He quickly finished washing his hair and body, turning the water off as he dried off on the edge of the tub. He rolled up to the counter that had always been small, making it easy to reach everything even in his chair. He looked at himself in the mirror, smiling as his hair dripped in his face, almost covering the septum piercing that shone proudly in the bright light. He got a blow dryer, gel, and hair spray from the drawers and began styling it. His dad had just taken him to the barber a couple of days ago, telling him to pick any haircut he wanted. He immediately asked for a mohawk. None of his friends had seen it yet, and as he finished styling it he smiled, knowing that they'd love it.

He continued getting ready, grabbing a piece of toast as he checked Trollian on his phone. Nepeta and Aradia had both messaged him recently, saying that they were excited to see him and to tell them what classes he got. He smiled as he closed Trollian and finished his toast, rolling to the bathroom and brushing his teeth. He went back to his room, grabbing a jacket and his backpack. He put his headphones in and started playing MSI as he rolled to the living room, grabbing his keys from the coffee table and leaving his house, locking the door behind him.


	2. MoNdAy MoRnInG :o)

That same morning...

A mass of dark hair peeked out from a dark purple comforter, moving slightly as the person buried in the blankets continued to sleep soundly, snoring quietly. The alarm had gone off long ago but had been slept through. A black iPhone 5 on a nearby table suddenly blared with the howl of a singer screaming into the mic, the screen lighting up with a text.

HEY ASSWIPE ARE YOU UP YET?

The owner of the phone didn't reply, preoccupied with sleeping.

Another howl. The mass of hair buried itself a bit further into the comforter, grumbling sleepily into the fabric.

DON'T TELL ME. YOU SLEPT THROUGH THE ALARM AGAIN.

Silence, except for the light snoring that started up again from under the comforter.

One last howl. The comforter shifted slightly, but the snoring continued.

I'M COMING OVER.

Ten minutes later, an angry-looking young man pushed the door open, determination in his voice as he yelled at the sleeping figure buried in the comforter. "Gamzee get up! We've got school!" A low grumble of descent could be heard from the pile. "Gamzee!" Another grumble, this time a bit louder. The angry boy quickly went to the edge of the bed and pulled the blanket away from the figure, exposing an almost-naked teenager. The teen instantly curled into a ball as the warmth of the blanket was snatched away, groaning slightly. "We've got school," the smaller teen repeated. The sleeping teen finally opened his eyes, rolling over to face the boy who had woken him up. He smiled sleepily up at the boy holding his blanket and mumbled "Hey best friend." The smaller teen rolled his eyes, throwing the blanket down. "Get up or we're going to be late," he commanded, and the sleepy teen obliged, pulling his clothes on and pushing his feet into his purple Converse as the smaller teen sat on the edge of the bed, tapping his foot impatiently.

"So did ya get your classes yet best friend?" the taller teen asked as he slung a purple packpack over his shoulder. The two walked down a flight of marble stairs, the echo of their footfalls the only sound in the house. The angry teen shoved a small piece of paper into the other teen's face. He grabbed it, skimming over the subjects and names of teachers. "Ah man you got Rodriguez first period? That's wicked! She ran the art club I was in last year!" Gamzee continued looking over the list, handing it back as they walked into the kitchen. "Man you got some sweet classes! Wouldn't it be miraculous if we got some classes together Karbro?" Karkat sat at the bar, arms crossed on top of the counter. "It'll be a miracle if you ever get up early enough for school without me coming over and dragging you out of bed," he huffed, shoving his schedule back into the pocket of his grey jeans. Gamzee chuckled as he quickly made four pieces of french toast, handing Karkat half as he grabbed syrup from one of the many cabinets. They ate quickly and headed out the front door, Karkat locking it with the key Gamzee had given him years ago, saying "Mi casa es su casa, Karbro."

They walked to Karkat's car, throwing their bags in the backseat as they climbed in. Karkat turned the volume down on his punk cd and they drove to school, Karkat complaining about a couple of his classes. Gamzee smiled, not really paying attention to his friend's rant as he watched the buildings pass. He had a feeling that this would be a good year.


	3. oLD FRIENDS

Tavros waited by his driveway as Nepeta came to pick him up for school. She seemed pretty excited when Tavros had mentioned that he would look a little different. He smiled as he listened to his iPod, bobbing his head slightly to the beat.

Soon he saw a dark blue pickup truck make it's way toward his street, pulling up in front of him. The passenger door swung open suddenly and Nepeta jumped out, nearly tipping Tavros' chair as she lunged to give him a hug. "Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh!" she squealed, standing back as she looked from Tavros' mohawk to his septum and back. "You look pawsitively purrfect!" she exclaimed, hugging him tightly. He smiled and hugged back, chuckling slightly at her excitement. He then remembered that she was not alone.

The owner of the truck had turned the engine off, stepping out of the truck to help Tavros get in. He stood stiffly off to the side, waiting patiently for the two friends as they greeted each other. "Oh, uh, hi Equius," Tavros said, giving him a small smile and slight wave as Nepeta let go, still smiling excitedly. "Hello Tavros," Equius replied politely in the quiet, subdued tone he generally spoke in, as if restraining himself from showing emotion.

He was a large young man, towering over Tavros at about 6 feet, his entire body muscular and strong. He had a strong jaw, a slightly crooked nose from having it broken, and shoulder-length straight black hair. He intimidated a lot of people, including Tavros, but he was very polite and kind once you got to know him. He had been Nepeta's best friend for almost their entire lives, and he was very loyal to her.

Nepeta, still smiling excitedly, sat between the driver and passenger seats as Equius easily lifted Tavros and placed him in the passenger seat. He then folded the chair, put it in the back, and got back in the truck, starting the engine as Nepeta began to speak excitedly to Tavros. "Wow Tavros I really love your new look! You look so cool!" she squealed, making Tavros blush slightly. He had never been that comfortable with being complimented. Nepeta then started going on about her classes, and the fact that Equius was in almost all of the same classes as her except for calculus, which was the last period of her day. Equius was taking wrestling again this year, and was the best in the school.

They pulled into the student parking lot after an uneventful ride, Nepeta speaking excitedly the entire time. As Equius got Tav's wheelchair from the back and helped him into it, Nepeta quickly grabbed her bag, put Tav's bag in his lap and began pushing him quickly through the front gates, running as she pushed Tavros towards a small group huddled around a table. He recognized the faces instantly as Nepeta slowed her pace to a walk, stopping right in front of the table his friends sat at in the mornings. Terezi cackled to Feferi, a pouting Eridan sitting at her feet. Aradia looked up from a small sheet of paper in her hands and smiled, walking toward Tavros as Nepeta stepped around him to sit at the table.

"Hello Tavros. Have you gotten your schedule yet?"

"Not yet," Tavros answered as Aradia grabbed her bag from the bench and went around to push Tavros. They made their way to the office, going to Tavros' councelor for his schedule. The kind older woman smiled at Tavros as she handed him the small slip of paper, and they quickly made it back to the table, Equius now sitting next to Nepeta on the bench, and Sollux making his way toward them. Sollux caught up to them as they stopped at the table, a slight smile on his face.

"Hey AA, who'th the new kid?" he asked, motioning to Tavros as he continued to look through his classes, realizing that a lot of them were in the second and third stories of the building. Tavros, not paying attention to the conversation, looked up at Sollux, giving him a small smile. "Hey Sollux," he greeted, but Sollux seemed confused. He looked at Tavros questioningly, as if he had said something unexpected. "Tavroth?" he asked, sounding a bit shocked. "Uh, yeah?" Tavros asked, confused by Sollux's reaction to him. "Holy thhit I didn't even recognithe you! What the hell happened? You look great but what'th up with the wheelchair? Are you alright?" Tavros then realized that he hadn't seen Sollux since last school year, before the mohawk and piercing, before the accident that left both of his legs in casts. He blushed a bit, feeling a little stupid for not realizing how different he must look to his friends who hadn't seen him in weeks, or in some cases, months.

"Yeah I'm fine, I got in a, uh, accident, a couple months ago. My legs'll be in casts for another couple months, but other than that I'm alright," he replied, stuttering a bit. He never really liked talking about the accident. Soon the rest of the group from the table were coming toward him, looks of interest and sympathy on all of their faces. They surrounded him, asking about the accident. He didn't give them a detailed account, just the basics: he was in the car with his dad; they were driving through an intersection when a black car came barreling towards them on Tav's side; his dad tried to avoid the impact but the car rammed into the side of theirs, breaking both of Tavros' legs and giving Mr. Nitram a small concussion and a couple of bruised ribs. Tavros had stayed at the hospital for a few days, and had been in the wheelchair since they left the hospital.

"What about the guy who hit you?" Feferi asked.

"He was sent to jail. I guess he'd been drinking or something. The police said he'd be there for a while, but I don't know how long."

A sad silence broke over the group, everyone looking toward Tavros, who fidgeted slightly in his chair. He never really liked being the center of attention, and the pitying looks his friends were giving him made him a bit uneasy. Nepeta, who was in the middle of the group, stepped forward. "Can I sign your cast?" Tavros smiled and nodded, grabbing a pencil bag that held his Sharpies. Soon everyone was grabbing their favorite color and writing kind words on Tav's casts. There was still a lot of space, but it was nice having some of the emptiness filled with words of encouragement and little drawings.

Tavros smiled and thanked everyone as they returned his markers, each with a smile on their face. Just as he got the last of his markers, the bell rang. The group dispersed, waving and calling out to one another, agreeing to meet each other at their table for lunch. Tavros smiled as he made his way to the elevator, heading for his first period: Drawing II with Miss Rodriguez.


	4. MuFfInS aNd MeDs :o)

Karkat pulled his car over on the side of a small suburban street leading to the high school. They were still a couple of blocks away from the school, but Karkat hadn't had his coffee yet. They grabbed their bags from the backseat, Karkat locking the doors as they headed to the nearby cafe. Gamzee had put his headphones in during the ride, smiling as he looked around. It was a chilly morning in late August, the leaves from the trees lining the streets already an array of bright autumn colors. There was a breeze, making the fallen leaves dance on the light grey concrete.

Gamzee looked over at Karkat, smiling even wider as he watched him stalk toward the cafe. He wore his usual grey skinny jeans that were a little too big for him, large holes in both knees. His black peacoat was buttoned almost all the way up, hiding whatever band tee he was probably wearing. His black Doc Martin's, which Gamzee had given him last Christmas, stomped on the sidewalk at a quick pace. Gamzee chuckled at the annoyed look on Karkat's face. Poor Karbro had never really liked the cold, and it was definitely cold today. Karkat looked up as Gamzee pulled his headphones out of his ears, suddenly realizing that Gamzee had been staring at him. "What the fuck are you looking at, assclown?" he grumbled, hunching his shoulders and pulling his chin down as a gust of cold air washed over them. He shivered violently, making Gamzee frown with worry. "You wanna borrow my jacket Karbro?" he asked his friend, still shivering slightly. "I've got my own," he muttered, glaring ahead of him as they turned into the plaza, walking a bit faster as they neared the cafe.

Gamzee held the door open as Karkat walked in, heading straight for the counter and ordering a black coffe. "No milk, no sugar, just the damn coffee. I hope that's not too complicated for you," he snapped at the guy behind the counter, who seemed a bit intimidated by Karkat's hostility. Gamzee chuckled as he pulled off his jacket, heading to an empty table and flinging the coat over his chair. He raised his legs, crossing them as he rested them on one of the chairs across from him. His left arm rested on the top of the empty chair next to him, and he smiled as Karkat waited for his coffee at the counter. "Hey man can I up and get some of those bitchtits muffins?" The cashier stopped, turning to face Gamzee quickly with a look of confusion across his face. "Two chocolate chip and three blueberry," Karkat specified, grabbing his coffee as the cashier nodded quickly. "Sure," he replied, a bit quietly, and grabbed the muffins, putting them in a white box as Gamzee waltzed over, pulling a twenty dollar bill from his wallet and handing it to the cashier with his signature stoner smile, taking the box from him and heading back to the table without grabbing his change. Karkat rolled his eyes, grabbing Gamzee's change and heading to the table with the money and his coffee, putting Gamzee's change in his wallet as Gamzee eagerly grabbed a blueberry muffin, taking large bites and smiling contently. Karkat put Gamzee's wallet down and took a long sip out of his cup, a small smile inching across his face as the warm liquid passed his lips. Gamzee smiled, always happy to see his best bro smile.

They didn't stay at the cafe long, just long enough for Gamzee to finish his muffin and Karkat to get some caffeine in his system. Karkat rushed Gamzee back outside, saying they'd be late. Gamzee just chuckled, allowing Karkat to literally push him out of the cafe and onto the sidewalk. They made their way to the school, the entrance almost completely empty. "Shit, the bell must've rung already," Karkat cursed, quickening his pace as they neared the gates. "Man you gotta stop stressin bro! It's the first motherfuckin day! Those motherfuckers don't care if you're late the first couple a days," Gamzee stated casually, still strolling at his usual pace as they entered the school. They headed to the office, Karkat pulling Gamzee by the wrist like an impatient mother as Gamzee strolled, watching a small group of leaves twirl and dance through the air near his shoulder. They headed to Gamzee's councelor's office, got his schedule and headed back out, Karkat still pulling Gamzee behind him as he looked over his classes. "Looks like we got the same first period bro!" Gamzee said happily, ruffling Karkat's hair as he let go of Gamzee's wrist to compare their schedules. "Great," Karkat answered sarcastically. "Let's get to Rodriguez's room before she flips her shit." He shoved his schedule back in his pocket and headed toward the art building. Gamzee followed behind, but stopped suddenly at the stairs. "Hold up bro. I need to take my meds. I'll meetchya up there," he said. Karkat sighed, then smiled slightly. "Alright. I'll tell her you're on your way. Don't get caught alright? I don't want you getting suspended on the first fucking day." Gamzee smiled back as he turned toward the bathrooms, saying he'd be up in a few minutes. They turned and went their seperate ways, Karkat up to Miss Rodriguez's room and Gamzee to the boy's bathroom. As he walked into the bathroom, he checked to make sure all of the stalls were empty before heading to the handicapped stall, opening the small window near the ceiling as he grabbed a baggie from his backpack that contained some of his "meds".

He got his lighter, rolling the cigarette and lighting quickly, taking a long drag. He climbed onto the metal bar against the wall, resting his chin on the window ledge until his lungs screamed for air, blowing the sweet yet bitter smoke out the window. He took another couple of drags, letting the smoke ooze out from his mouth as he looked out the window at the quiet halls of the school. He took the last drag and flushed the blunt down the toilet, stepping out of the stall and in front of one of the small sinks, opening his backpack and grabbing his facepaint. He looked in the mirror, realizing he had slept in his paint the night before. He smiled at the messy paint, bare skin showing where his face had been buried in his blankets. Most of it was still there though, so he didn't wash it off. He covered the blank spots and fixed his skewed smile, smiling at the finished product. He put the paint away and walked out of the bathroom, heading up the stairs to one of his favorite classes: art with Miss R.


	5. mISS R'S CLASS

Tavros sat at a table next to the door, getting his stuff out as kids wandered into class. He sat alone at his table, reading some of the things his friends had written on his cast. He laughed to himself at Nepeta's cat puns and Aradia's teasing over his RPG skills. He sat up as the bell rang, looking toward Miss R as she stood up from her desk and began to speak.

"Hello everyone. I am Miss Rodriguez, and I will be your Drawing II teacher this year. I hope that you are all ready to work; you will not be messing around in here just because it's an art class. I expect everyone to do their work, act accordingly, and follow instructions." She started passing packets around the room. "This is a packet of the rules of the classroom, my grading scale, a list of supplies you will need, and a list of some of the things you will be doing this year. We will be going through it for the first ten minutes of class, and then you will begin your first assignment."

The class went through the main rules fairly quickly. They'd have weekly homework due every Wednesday, and they had several big projects throughout the year. They were allowed to listen to music as long as they did their work and payed attention when they needed to. After going over the packet Miss R handed out paper for everyone to draw on. Their first assignment was to draw something in the room.

Tavros looked around, not sure what to draw. His eyes fell on his binder, the front filled with concert flyers and pictures of some of his favorite bands. He found an older picture of Placebo that he had always liked and began sketching out the forms of the band members. He was so engrossed in his drawing that he barely noticed when a student walked in, talking to Miss R quietly before going to an empty table in the row in front of him. The newcomer was thin and a bit pale, with dark eyes and messy dark brown hair. He took his coat off before sitting down, revealing a black band tee. Tavros didn't see the front, but the back had a large amount of white text. He started reading. It seemed to be a poem, or song lyrics.

"A is for Amber who drowned in a pool, B is for Billy who was eaten by ghouls..." it went on from A to Z, naming people and how they had died. It was a little morbid, but some of the lyrics were so ridiculous that Tavros couldn't help but smile. He'd have to find out what band this shirt was for. He then remembered that he was supposed to be drawing, so he went back to his picture. Just as he was about to start drawing the faces of the band members, another student walked in. He stopped to talk to Miss R for a while before turning to scan the room. His eyes quickly fell on the boy who had gotten there a few minutes before, and the second boy walked toward him with a smile across his face.

Tavros didn't look up until the new boy was walking past, heading for the empty seat next to the guy with the morbid t-shirt. He wore a varsity jacket in the school colors, purple and grey. He had an unruly mop of black curls that obscured his face from the angle Tavros was looking, but he was sure that he was wearing clown makeup. He was tall and seemed to be pretty thin, his black pants sliding down his hips and bunching up over his purple Converse. He sat down next to the morbid shirt kid, dropping his purple backpack on the ground as he talked to the first boy, who seemed a little annoyed as he drank from a small coffee cup.

Tavros heard snippets of their conversation as he began drawing again. They seemed to know each other pretty well, and the one in purple, who Tavros heard the other kid call Gamzee, pulled a white box out of his backpack, offering something to his friend. The kid with the shirt smirked and took a blueberry muffin from the box, eating it as Gamzee looked around the room. His eyes scanned the faces of the students, who were either busy drawing or talking to their friends. Gamzee turned in his chair, still looking around. Tavros had started drawing again, trying to finish the sketch before class ended. Suddenly, he felt someone staring at him. He looked around, but no one was looking his way. Tavros looked around once more before starting his drawing again, finishing it as the bell rang. He left for the elevator, hoping his next class wouldn't be too bad.

As he waited for the elevator, he felt someone staring at him again. He turned in his chair and found himself staring at Gamzee, who was looking at him from the doorway of Miss Rodriguez's room. He smiled and waved as he walked toward the staircase, ignoring his friend with the band shirt who was talking to him. Tavros smiled back, the elevator opening in front of him as Gamzee stopped at the staircase, waiting for his friend to go ahead of him as they headed downstairs. The elevator opened, and Tavros wheeled in, hoping his other classes would be as easy as his first period.


	6. SeT lIsTs AnD sChEdUlEs

Gamzee and Karkat headed down the stairs, Karkat still going on about the gig they had later that week. They were supposed to play in Claremont at a coffee shop or something, but Gamzee wasn't paying attention. His mind was still on the kid from class. Gamzee's smile widened as he thought of the timid smile the other had given him before rolling into the elevator. That is one cute motherfucker, he thought as they got to the bottom of the stairs, a few people calling out to him and holding their hands out. He high-fived them, nodding to a few and greeting them with his usual "Sup motherfuckers" as he followed Karkat to an empty table in the quad. He was going over his schedule again, a slight frown on his face. Gamzee chuckled at his bro's sour expression and got his own schedule out too, pretending to study it as his mind wandered back to the boy with the mohawk. Wonder if he'd like our band, Gamzee wondered as Karkat began to speak again. "So the gig's at 5. We'll play for half an hour, maybe an hour if there's a big turnout, then head back to my house to get whatever homework we have out of the way. One of your stupid jock friends will probably want us to play at one of their parties this weekend, so we won't have time to do it if we're nursing hangovers or whatever shit you get into." Gamzee chuckled at the statement, shaking his head slightly. The football players always threw the best parties.

"So what class we got next?" Gamzee asked, not really interested but pretending to pay attention. "English. I think we have the same class.. yeah, we do. Great. I get to spend every morning with you, making sure you don't fall asleep or get caught with your "medicine". This'll be fun," Karkat went on sarcastically, looking over Gamzee's schedule. "Come on, let's get going. I don't want you to be late for two classes in a row." Karkat stood up, shoving the schedule back in his pocket as he handed Gamzee his, then held his hand out to his friend. Gamzee smiled and took the outstretched hand, pulling himself off of the table and letting go as he put his schedule in his own pocket and began walking beside Karkat. They were greeted by a few people as they made their way to class, neither of them really acknowledging others as they headed to English; Karkat looked forward, a small frown on his face as he sipped his coffee, while Gamzee smiled and looked around, obviously daydreaming.

They made it to class as the bell rang and sat at an empty table in the back. Gamzee ate another muffin and fell asleep while Karkat looked over the packet the teacher was handing out. They didn't do much else, and Karkat started becoming restless as others sat around and talked, or slept, like Gamzee. He began writing ideas down for the set they would play in Claremont on Friday, tapping his pencil every now and then as he went over the list. He shoved it into his binder, deciding to finish it at lunch so he could get the whole band's opinion, even though they usually just went along with his ideas anyway. He looked at the clock and turned to Gamzee, who was still asleep, his head resting on his arms that were crossed on the table in front of him. Karkat could hear the light snoring coming from his table partner and smirked before shaking his shoulder. "Gamzee, class is almost over. Get up. We have to go soon," he said quietly. Gamzee groaned slightly, the sound muffled with his head down. He turned to Karkat and gave him a sleepy smile, whispering "Thanks best friend" before sitting up. The bell rang and they both stood, Gamzee stretching his arms over his head, arching his back until it popped.

They headed outside, looking over their schedules again. "I've got Anatomy next. I think you have Art History or something," Karkat mumbled as he put his schedule away. "You better show up for lunch today; I need to go over the set with you and Sollux, even though you'll probably just end up forgetting." Gamzee nodded, a dopey smile stretched across his face. "Alright that's cool. I'll see ya at lunch bro," he said, waving as Karkat turned toward his next class. Gamzee smiled as he walked away, then checked his schedule before heading to Johnson's room for Art History.

The class was a lot cooler than Gamzee thought it would be, Mr. Johnson keeping the kids entertained as they went throught their first day of notes. The class seemed to fly by, the bell ringing as everyone finished their notes and started packing up. Gamzee smiled and waved to Mr. Johnson as he left the class, walking to the stairs before pulling his schedule out again. Looks like I'm an office assistant, he thought as he checked his next class. He smiled, putting the slip of paper back in his pocket as he headed to the office. There were three other assistants sitting at a table behind the front desk, all looking bored. They all perked up as Gamzee strode in, waving and greeting them as he sat down at the table. The rest of the period was spent going back and forth from the office to various classrooms, giving students new schedules or sending teachers the papers they needed. It was pretty boring but definitely better than being in class. The bell for first lunch rang as Gamzee was coming back from a delivery. He smiled as he headed toward the quad, grabbing some pizza and chips before heading to the table Karkat sat at, his binder on his lap and a concentrated look in his eyes.

"I wrote up the set for Friday during English. I want you and Sollux to read it over before I make copies for you two." Gamzee sat on the table next to his friend, taking a large bite of pizza before grabbing the paper from Karkat and looking it over. It looked like they were only doing covers in this show. Gamzee scanned the list, smiling at some of the song titles. He nodded as he handed the paper back, his mouth still full of pizza. Sollux soon joined them, sitting down and looking over the list. He began talking to Karkat about some of the songs, and soon they were arguing. Gamzee chuckled quietly, used to them arguing over the set. He finished his pizza and leaned back, looking around at the quad. His table was emptier than usual, giving the band some space to talk about their show.

The quarterback of the football team soon came over, ignoring the argument between Karkat and Sollux as he asked Gamzee if they could play at his party on Saturday. Karkat, who seemed to have won the argument, answered before Gamzee could say anything. "We'll be there. Give us a time and place, but you have to pay before the show." The jock nodded, pulling out his wallet and handing them each fifty dollars. "I already up and know where this motherfucker lives" Gamzee told Karkat before the quarterback could write his address. He smiled before heading to another table, calling back to them "The party's at 11. See you guys there!" They each pocketed the cash, and Karkat started making copies of the set list for Sollux and Gamzee as Sollux went to buy food and Gamzee sat back, looking over the various tables and groups.

His eyes soon fell on a familiar mohawked boy, sitting near a table with a pretty large group around it. Gamzee recognized a couple of the faces from some of his classes from previous years, smiling as his friend Eridan talked to Feferi, who he'd had a crush on for years. Gamzee had even given him some advice, but he wasn't sure if Eridan had taken it. His gaze fell back on the cutie with the mohawk, and he smiled. He grabbed his backpack, pulling out his sketchpad and flipping to the page he had started in Rodriguez's class. It was a portrait of the boy, looking down as he drew whatever he had chosen to draw in class, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration with his tongue sticking out slightly. Gamzee chuckled at the adorable expression that reminded him of a cartoon character. He got his pencil out and finished the drawing, adding shading and highlights from memory, only having to look up a couple of times to make sure the proportions were right. He smiled at the finished product before putting it back in his backpack.

Karkat soon finished Gamzee's copy of the setlist, handing it to him as his sketchpad fell into his backpack. He put it in his binder as the bell for fifth period rang, and they both checked their schedules. "Looks like I've got Anatomy too, bro," Gamzee said. "Sixth period. Got Government next." "Same here," Karkat said, burrowing his chin into his coat as a gust of wind blew over the table. "I've got Calculus sixth." They stood up and headed to the other side of campus, weaving through the crowd as Karkat talked about the gig again and planned what they would play at the party on Saturday. Gamzee nodded occasionally but wasn't paying attention to most of it. He was too busy thinking about getting home, slamming a Faygo, and the boy from art class, who hadn't left his mind all day.


	7. iMPRESSIVE PORTRAITS

It was the middle of the first week back at school. Tavros sat at his usual table in the corner, listening to his iPod as people slowly filled the class. He grabbed the paper from his shelf in the back of the room, their first major project of the year: a black and white still life. They were studying perspective, everyone drawing the same group of random objects sitting in the middle of the room. It was a lot harder than Tavros had expected, and it would take another week for everyone to finish. The last few students filed in as the bell rang, Tavros already engrossed in his drawing. His concentration was finally broken when his view of the table was obscured by someone standing in front of his table, completely blocking his view. He had to look almost straight up at the person towering over him. It was the boy who had waved at him the first day of school. Tavros noted the white and grey facepaint that hid his facial features like a mask, his hair that always seemed to be a mess, the loose clothes that hung off of his thin frame and an odd smell that seemed to be coming from him. It was sickly-sweet, and reminded Tavros of the first concert he had gone to with his dad. He then noticed his mouth was moving, and Tavros quickly pulled his headphones out so he could hear him.

"Uh, what?" Tavros managed to ask. The boy in front of him chuckled, his voice low and a little rough but still pleasant. "I was just askin if a brother could get his chill on over here. Me and my bro Karkat don't really got the best motherfuckin view." He motioned to his table, which sat right in front of a particularly boring section of the table they were drawing. "Uh, sure," Tavros replied, putting one headphone back in his ear as the lanky boy tossed his backpack onto the chair next to him, motioning for the other boy from his table. Karkat got up, walking toward them as the lanky teen slid across the table and sat next to Tav. Karkat sat next to him at the next table, looking a bit annoyed. "The name's Gamzee motherfuckin Makara," the teen next to Tavros said happily, his hand outstretched and a large smile stretching across his painted face. Tavros smiled slightly, shaking his hand. "Tavros Nitram. That's a pretty, uh, interesting name. I've never heard of anyone with the middle name "Motherfuckin" before," he said, his smile growing slightly as he tried not to laugh at his own joke.

Gamzee seemed confused momentarily, one of his eyebrows rising on his forehead before he suddenly burst out laughing so loud that the entire room looked over. He doubled over, his entire frame shaking as he laughed. He wiped his eye as his laughing fit slowly subsided, still chuckling as he sat up. "You are one funny motherfucker, Tavbro!" he exclaimed, still chuckling slightly as he grabbed a sketchpad and pencil from his backpack, flipping through it quickly before stopping at a blank page. He put one of his headphones in, the ear on Tav's side unobstructed so they could continue their conversation. Tavros started working on his project again before realizing that Gamzee didn't have his out. "Uh, Gamzee?" Gamzee turned his head slightly, his eyes lingering on his sketchbook before focusing on Tavros. "Uh, shouldn't you be working on the project? We only have a week before it's due," Tavros asked, concern apparent in his big brown eyes and his soft voice. Karkat leaned over his table so he was in Tavros' view before answering. "This idiot always procrastinates, but he's pretty good in art. It doesn't take him too long to do projects." He stood up, pulling his hoodie on as he walked toward the door. "I'm getting something to drink," he said over his shoulder as he left the room.

Gamzee and Tavros continued their drawings, talking on and off throughout class. Karkat soon returned, putting his headphones in as he worked on his project, looking over at Gamzee's sketch every now and then, usually with a mixture of shock, admiration, and annoyance. Tavros, who was trying to stay focused on his own drawing, soon got very curious, tapping Gamzee on the shoulder. He turned to him, pulling his headphone out so he could hear him more clearly. "What are you drawing, Gamzee?" Tavros asked, trying to look at his sketchbook that was turned away from him.

"Oh, just doodlin. Karkat said I could do some drawings for our flyers," Gamzee answered, still sketching off and on.

"Flyers?"

"Yeah. Our band's up and playin in a couple days and he wanted me to finish the sketches by tomorrow so we could start makin flyers and puttin em up," he replied, still working on the drawing. "Can I see?" Tavros asked as Gamzee stopped drawing momentarily to study his work. "Sure motherfucker!" he answered happily, flipping back a couple pages before handing it to him with a smile. Tavros returned the smile before looking down at the sketches.

Tavros almost gasped. The page was filled with sketches, and they were all amazing. They were a bit sketchy but still very detailed, the stye realistic and cartoony, like a comic book. There were several sketches around the edges of the page, shining eyes and snarling mouths. In the middle of the page was a picture of a dark crowd standing in front of a small stage where a band played. He could easily identify the band members as Karkat, Gamzee, and Sollux. Sollux with a familiar smirk as he sat behind his drum kit, arms swinging toward the drums. Karkat was in front of him, a shiny bass in hand as he leaned toward the mic, his mouth open wide as if he were yelling, his eyes narrowed and intense. To the side of Karkat was a figure almost hidden in shadow that must have been Gamzee, playing a guitar with his head lowered, a small smile visible under the mass of dark curls.

He flipped the page, his eyes widening at the dramatic portrait of Karkat alone in the spotlight, a melancholy expression on his face, his mouth closed in a slight frown. His head was bowed, as if trying to hide his face, casting dark shadows as he played an acoustic guitar in a wooden stool, one foot resting on a peg of the stool while the other was planted firmly on the ground.

He flipped to the last page Gamzee had been working on, this one full of portraits. Sollux stuck his tongue out as he held two fingers behind a scowling Karkat's head. Eridan sat on a bench, facing away as he talked to Feferi, who smiled kindly as she listened. He saw himself, a shy smile on his face as he held his hand up to wave, turned slightly in his chair. The only person he didn't recognize was a girl in the right corner. This portrait was a little larger than the rest, and much more detailed. She had large bright eyes and long eyelashes, a crooked smile across her dark lips. She wore a shirt that was obviously too big for her, hanging off one of her shoulders. Her hair was long and wavy, one hand brushing a large amount of it away from her face with long, thin fingers.

He couldn't help but stare at her, wondering who this mysterious girl was. But before he could ask, or even continue looking at the sketches, the book was snatched back suddenly. Gamzee smiled apologetically as he began to speak. "Sorry bro, gotta finish these before Karbro throws a fuckin fit."

"Alright," Tavros replied, his eyes wandering back to the portrait in the corner. Gamzee pulled the sketchbook closer, his hand covering the girl in the corner as he turned it away from Tavros. Tavros realized that Gamzee was hiding the portrait on purpose, as if he hadn't meant for Tavros to see it. He then put both headphones in, flipping to a blank page and sketching again. They didn't speak for the rest of class, the silence filled with their headphones and the constant sound of pencil over paper.

When the bell rang for second period, Gamzee quickly shoved everything into his backpack, slinging it over his shoulder as he stood abruptly from his seat. "See ya later motherfuckers," he said quickly, waving as he strode out of class and toward the staircase. Tavros put his things away as Karkat rushed after Gamzee, a look of obvious concern on his face as he nearly sprinted out the door. Tavros couldn't help but feel a pit in his stomach, a mixture of disappoinment and guilt. He knew Gamzee had started acting like that because Tavros had seen the picture of the girl. She must be really important to him. Maybe they're dating? The thought made Tavros feel even sadder, but he didn't know why. He finished packing up and rolled toward the elevators, a frown on his face as he silently cursed himself. He sat in front of the elevator, waiting until the doors opened before rolling inside.


	8. MiSsInG mEdS

FuckfuckfuckmotherFUCK why'd I do that? I'm so motherfuckin STUPID!

Gamzee stormed out of the classroom, gnawing on his bottom lip as he headed down the staircase to the bathrooms. He hadn't taken his pills yesterday, his mind sharper than usual even through the haze of marijuana. He had been feeling so good for the past couple of days that he thought he wouldn't need to take them. Now as he practically ran to the bathroom, he prayed he had an extra bottle in his backpack. He didn't even hear the quick footsteps behind him, his name being called by Karkat as he tried to catch up. His mind was full of angry voices, yelling at his stupidity.

He went straight to the handicap stall, slamming the door closed and locking it before throwing his backpack to the ground, throwing his binder as he frantically searched for that bottle. Fuck where IS IT? He dumped his belongings on the ground, but no bottle rolled from it's depths.

"FUCK!" His voice boomed, echoing loudly as he slammed his fists to the ground. His head hurt, his fists throbbing as he crouched on the floor of the bathroom stall. That's when he heard Karkat's voice, frantically calling his name as he entered the bathroom. "Gamzee?" he called out, his voice echoing off the tiled walls. Gamzee could hear his footsteps get closer to his stall, and turned to see Karkat's worn Converse stop at the door to the stall. "Gamzee?" Karkat repeated, his voice quiet. Gamzee didn't respond, curling in on himself as he willed his head to stop throbbing. "Can you let me in?" Gamzee let out a small sigh as he got up, unlocking the door and opening it for his friend. Karkat stepped in, locking the door behind him before wrapping his arms around Gamzee's neck, shooshing him and rubbing his back until he was completely calm. His anger slowly ebbed away, leaving him exhausted, his head still a bit sore. He hugged his shorter friend, resting his cheek on his soft dark hair before breathing another sigh, this one content.

"Thanks Karbro," he muttered into his soft hair, a smile creeping across his face. "Do you wanna talk about it?" Karkat asked, still rubbing soothing circles into Gamzee's back. "Sure. How bout after school? We could have a bitchtits feelins jam in my pillow pile or some shit," Gamzee responded, now playing with Karkat's hair. "Alright. We'll get the flyers done later."

"Thanks Karkat." Karkat finally pulled away, giving Gamzee a smile before noticing his belongings strewn across the floor of the bathroom stall. They picked everything up, putting it back into Gamzee's bag before the bell rang. Karkat looked up, concern still prominent on his face. "Do you think you can make it for the rest of the day or do you want me to take you home?" Gamzee shrugged his backpack on, running his hand through his hair before giving a crooked smile. "I'll be fine man. Just gotta catch some z's. I'll sleep in class."

Karkat smiled, shaking his head as he unlocked the door, stepping out and walking with Gamzee to English. Karkat took notes, making sure he wrote everything neatly so Gamzee could copy it later. He scratched Gamzee's head throughout class, smiling at his sleeping friend every once in a while. Gamzee slept soundly through class, dreaming of Karkat, Tavros, and the girl from his notebook, who never seemed to leave his mind.


	9. gUILT

Tavros rolled to his second period Anatomy class, his stomach still in knots with guilt. He was happy that he could immerse himself in notes, the only thing he'd been doing in this class so far. He copied the PowerPoint, trying to focus on working, but his mind kept wandering back to Gamzee and the drawing. He remembered the look on Gamzee's face as he raced out the door, and hoped that he was alright. I should have gone after him. I could have helped him, or apologized. Another wave of guilt washed over him. He continued taking notes, trying to pay attention, but the guilt was still gnawing away at him. I'll talk to him about it later. The pit in his stomach lightened at the thought of being able to help him. Maybe one of his friends had Gamzee's phone number? He quickly scribbled down the next slide before taking out his phone and going on Trollian.

adiosToreador [AT] began trolling arsenicCatnip [AC]

AC: :33 *ac yawns boredly, showing her sharp t33th before sauntering to AT, curling up in his lap*

AT: sORRY NEPETA, bUT I DON'T REALLY HAVE TIME, tO PLAY RIGHT NOW,

AT: i WAS HOPING, tHAT MAYBE YOU HAD SOMEONE'S PHONE NUMBER,

AC: :33 oh sorry! who's number?

AT: gAMZEE MAKARA,

AC: :33 sorry i don't! i'm purretty sure equius does though!

AC: :33 he says he does! he has his Trollian handle too!

AT: cOULD YOU, pOSSIBLY, aSK HIM WHAT IT IS FOR ME,

AT: i NEED TO TALK TO GAMZEE,

AC: :33 terminallyCapricious!

AT: tHANKS NEPETA,

AC: :33 no purroblem tavros! x33

AT: }:)

adiosToreador [AT] ceased trolling arsenicCatnip [AC]

Tavros quickly looked up to make sure his teacher wasn't paying attention before adding terminallyCapricious to his ChumpRoll. He finished taking his notes early, and took his phone out again to start a new message while everyone waited around the door for the bell to ring. Gamzee wasn't online but he'd get the message eventually.

adiosToreador [AT] began trolling terminallyCapricious [TC]

AT: uH, hEY GAMZEE,

AT: tHIS IS TAVROS, fROM ART CLASS,

AT: i JUST WANTED TO SEE HOW YOU WERE, aND APOLOGIZE,

AT: i DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE YOU UPSET, oR ANYTHING,

AT: i HOPE YOU'RE NOT MAD, bUT IF YOU ARE, tHEN THAT'S OKAY, i GUESS,

AT: i JUST WANTED TO SAY SORRY, fOR UPSETTING YOU,

AT: sO,,,

AT: sORRY }:(

adiosToreador [AT] ceased trolling terminallyCapricious [TC]

He put his phone away as the bell rang, rolling to his third period. He listened for his phone the entire time, but the familiar ding of Trollian didn't alert him to any new messages as he made his way to English.


	10. ChIlLiN

After his nap in English Gamzee felt a lot better. Even though he had dreamt of her again. He winced visibly, cursing himself for not even being able to think her name. He thanked Karkat for waking him before heading to Johnson's room, where he took notes and didn't say a word, trying not to think of her anymore. Her sweet face always seemed to pop in his head whenever he daydreamed, so he tried to stay focused.

Fourth period was more difficult. As an office assistant, all he did was go to classrooms sometimes to give out various supplies or notes. He took the majority of the workload that day, trying desperately to stop his mind from wandering. The other assistants argued and said he shouldn't have to do all the work, but he pleaded with them to let him do it. He needed to get out, he explained, which was partially true. He went all over campus, giving teachers extra copies of assignments or handing students new schedules. He craved a cigarette. He always did when he was stressed. He decided he'd go to the park across the street from the baseball field, have a smoke and try to calm down. During a lull in deliveries, he continued sketching, drawing Karkat most of the time. He wasn't really fond of drawing himself, but he did a couple of times, usually drawing himself in the shadows or with his head down, hair covering most of his face.

The last delivery was for a student in Psychology. He didn't look at the name, too busy trying to figure out where the room was. After searching for a few minutes, he finally found the room. It was dark, the only light coming from a projected PowerPoint on the wall opposite the door and a couple of windows shaded by blinds. The students sat at desks, half on one side of the room and the other half on the other side, their desks facing each other with a large gap in the middle of the room. He headed to the teacher, handing her the slip of paper. She squinted at the name printed on the paper in the dim light before calling the student. "Tavros?" she asked, and Gamzee's head shot up, instantly searching for the boy in the dark room. He was at a table in the front on the left side of the room, copying the notes quickly before looking up when his name was called. "I'll give it to him," Gamzee said quickly, taking the slip and walking over to him, handing it to him with a small smile before heading back outside. He looked back at him once more before closing the door and heading outside.

He was happy that he had his backpack when the bell rang on his way back to the office. He made a beeline for the field, making sure there were no security guards around before walking across the large, mud-soaked field to the back gates. He crouched and easily slid through the gap in the doors under the large lock and chains. He crossed the street quickly, taking his Marlboro's out and grabbing a cig while he walked, his shoulders up and his hands trembling from the cold or his nerves, or maybe a mix of both. He sat on a swing, the playground empty and silent. He rummaged around in his pocket until he found his lighter, bowing his head as he lit the cigarette, putting the lighter back and taking a long drag. He blew the smoke out, closing his eyes and trying to calm himself. He thought of Karkat's smile as he comforted him in the bathroom, and Tavros joking with him that morning. He smiled, his muscles visibly relaxing. He soon got bored, finishing his cigarette and putting it out under his foot before picking it up and putting it in a nearby ashtray. He went back to the swings, taking his phone out and turning it on before logging on Trollian.

He had a new message. It opened immediately, but he didn't recognize the troll handle. He read the message anyway.

adiosToreador [AT] began trolling terminallyCapricious [TC]

AT: uH, hEY GAMZEE,

AT: tHIS IS TAVROS, fROM ART CLASS,

AT: i JUST WANTED TO SEE HOW YOU WERE, aND APOLOGIZE,

AT: i DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE YOU UPSET, oR ANYTHING,

AT: i HOPE YOU'RE NOT MAD, bUT IF YOU ARE, tHEN THAT'S OKAY, i GUESS,

AT: i JUST WANTED TO SAY SORRY, fOR UPSETTING YOU,

AT: sO,,,

AT: sORRY }:(

adiosToreador [AT] ceased trolling terminallyCapricious [TC]

Gamzee smiled, adding the handle to his ChumpRoll before starting a new message.

terminallyCapricious [TC] began trolling adiosToreador [AT]

TC: HeY bRoThEr HoW yA dOiN?

TC: aNd ThErE aIn'T nO nEeD tO mOtHeRfUcKiN aPoLoGiZe MaN

TC: YoU dIdN'T dO nOtHiN wRoNg

AT: aRE YOU SURE?

AT: yOU SEEMED PRETTY UPSET, wHEN YOU LEFT CLASS,

TC: nAh MaN iT's AlL cHiLl

TC: JuSt HaD a RoUgH mOrNiN, yA kNoW?

TC: iT's AlL gOoD nOw :o)

AT: aLRIGHT, iF YOU SAY SO,

AT: aND i'M DOING ALRIGHT,

AT: iN RESPONSE TO, uH,

AT: yOUR QUESTION }:)

TC: ThAt'S wIcKeD tAvBrO :o)

AT: wHAT LUNCH DO YOU HAVE?

AT: i'M NOT INTERRUPTING YOU DURING CLASS, aM i?

TC: nAh MaN i GoT lUnCh RiGhT NoW

TC: YoU AiN't InTeRrUpTiN A mOtHeRfUcKiN tHiNg BrO :o)

AT: aLRIGHT GOOD

AT: uH, wHERE DO YOU SIT?

AT: i COULD SIT WITH YOU,

AT: iF YOU DON'T MIND, tHAT IS,

TC: i UsUaLly SiT wItH kAr By ThE mPr In ThE qUaD

TC: BuT i AiN't ThErE rIgHt NoW

TC: i'Ll Be ThErE iN a FeW aLrIgHt BrO?

AT: aLRIGHT,

AT: sEE YOU IN A FEW }:)

terminallyCapricious [TC] ceased trolling adiosToreador [AT]

Gamzee smiled as he closed Trollian, putting his phone in his pocket before heading back to the school, his smile growing as he got closer to the campus, and that cute motherfucker Tavros.


	11. fRIENDS?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO FREAKIN SORRY IT TOOK THIS LONG TO UPDATE! I'm already working on new chapters so hopefully you lovely people will not have to wait as long as you did for this chapter! Again, I am SO SORRY!!

Tavros quickly shoved his phone in his pocket, a smile on his face as he turned to Nepeta and Aradia. "He's not mad, and he said I could sit with him at lunch today." They both smiled, obviously happy for him. "I told you he wouldn't be mad!" Nepeta teased. He had told her about this morning on his way to the lunch table, and she had repeatedly said that Gamzee didn't seem like the type that would be mad about something as silly as seeing a picture. "He purrobably just had a bad day!" she had said happily, trying to convince Tavros that he had done nothing wrong.

"So you won't be gracing us with your presence on this fine day?" Kanaya spoke up, a small smile on her dark lips. "Sorry, but no. You'll have to go on without me, somehow," Tavros replied, a smirk spreading across his face as Kanaya chuckled, a dainty laugh that made her shoulders shake lightly. Terezi cackled from her seat between Aradia and Nepeta, who giggled as Aradia smiled, shaking her head slightly at Tavros' silliness. "Well have fun Tavros. We expect a detailed account tomorrow," Kanaya said with a smile. "Definitely!" Nepeta squealed excitedly. "Can you get a picture of him too? I need to add him to my shipping wall!" Tavros chuckled, smiling and quirking an eyebrow as if to ask "Really?" before saying "I think it might be an odd request, for me to make. 'Hey Gamzee, can I send my friend a picture of you, for her extensive chart of various relationships between her friends?' "

Nepeta giggled again before answering. "Well if you can, send me a picture okay? I haven't seen him since we had Home Ec in eighth grade! He turned out to be the purrfect partner too!" Tavros chuckled again, trying to imagine Nepeta and Gamzee in front of the small ovens of the Home Ec room, wearing matching aprons. "Alright, I'll see what I can do. See you guys later." They smiled, waving as Tavros turned toward the tables of the more popular students in the school, searching for Karkat before making his way to a table near the jock tables.

Karkat sat alone, scribbling something in a pad of paper. His eyebrows were knitted together in concentration, and his foot tapped impatiently as he continued to write. Tavros slowly wheeled to the table, trying not to make Karkat lose his focus. Just as he slowed to a stop, Karkat's head shot up, looking Tavros over quickly before going back to the paper. "Hey Tavros," he muttered, his eyebrows still furrowed with concentration. "Hey Karkat. Uh, what are you up to?"

"Just writing out the set list for some stupid party we're playing at. I'd rather have all of my piercings ripped out than to play for those insufferable pricks, but I need the money."

"Oh, sorry to hear about that."

"It's fine. Nothing I haven't dealt with before." He went back to writing in the pad, pushing his dark hair out of his face and revealing two silver rings in his left eyebrow. Tavros stared at them for a while, his mind wandering. He wondered if Karkat had any other piercings. Maybe even tattoos? He also wondered why Karkat seemed so agitated all the time. Was it his fault? Was he agitating him by being there? Tavros started fiddling with his fingers, biting his lower lip as he grew more and more anxious. He didn't even realize that Karkat was looking at him, trying to get his attention. "Tavros. Tavros, hello? God dammit. TAVROS!" His head shot up, still biting his bottom lip. "Uh, yeah?"

"I've been yelling at you for a while now, asshole. Gamzee just texted me; he'll be here soon." "Oh, okay. And sorry about spacing out, I kinda do that a lot," Tavros said, mumbling the last part as he started moving his fingers nervously again. "I'm used to being ignored by now. Gamzee spaces out all the time, always babbling about "all these motherfuckin miracles life throws at us". As long as you don't convert to his crazy clown religion, it's fine. Well, not FINE, but I won't go batshit insane as long as you listen when it's fucking important."

"Oh, alright. Thanks, I guess. And what do you mean, "crazy clown religion"?"

"I'll let him explain it to you. I tend to feel the need to vomit every time I'm forced to listen or engage in a conversation about his psychotic beliefs. That nookwhiff can talk about miracles all day once you get him started."

"Did I hear someone talkin bout miracles?!" Gamzee strode up to the table from behind Karkat, plopping down next to his friend and slinging an arm around his shoulders. He had a large smile on his face and the faint smell of cigarette smoke on his breathe. Karkat facepalmed, a slight growl coming from him before he spoke.

"Definitely not. I am not going to sit through one of your stupid rants today," Karkat replied, grabbing the arm around his shoulder and dropping it back on the table. He crossed his arms, an annoyed expression apparent on his face.

"Ah come on bro, it's so miraculous! All these mysteries life's got for us. Miracles everywhere, man," Gamzee stated, his smile growing as he spoke, a faraway look in his eye as he continued. "Like your bitchtits singin, man. You can wail like no motherfucker I know!" he said happily, his arm reaching around Karkat again to slap his shoulder lightly. Karkat grumbled something, his head slightly lowered as he continued writing in the pad of paper. "And my little miracle Tavbro here," he started, extending his other arm towards Tavros. "He's one of the chillest motherfuckers I know, smart as fuck, and fuckin adorable," he said, smiling at Tavros as he blushed at all of the compliments, particularly the last one. A short silence fell over the three as Gamzee stared off into space, Karkat continued writing in his notebook, and Tavros tried to stop blushing before speaking up.

"So, are we gonna, hang out here? I'm not really, uh, sure if Karkat would, want us here," Tavros stated quietly, his head bowed slightly. "I guess we could up an' go somewhere," Gamzee stated, a thoughtful look replacing his faraway expression. "You been to the park across the street? The one by the apartments behind the school?"

"No?" Tavros said uncertainly, unaware that there was even a park behind the school. "Well we'll go there then!" Gamzee replied happily, a large smile on his face. "You can't take him there, you stoner idiot," Karkat began, looking up from his paper. "The field in the back of the school is too muddy for his wheels to get through. Plus, how the fuck are you going to get his wheelchair through the gate? Just fucking throw it over? Or maybe you could pray to your stupid clown gods and wish it out of the campus," Karkat stated, annoyance still evident in his voice and face, a large scowl plastered across his features with one eyebrow raised. Gamzee frowned, disappointment evident as he mumbled, "I didn't up and think about that."

Karkat's scowl dissipated as he saw Gamzee's disappoinment. "Fuck, it's alright Gamzee, you just forgot. You can take him some other time. How about you guys go to Miss Rodriguez's room so you can work on the project?" Gamzee's smile reappeared, wider than ever. "That's a great idea Karbro! You sure you don't wanna chill with us?" Karkat smirked, the closest thing to a smile Tavros had seen. "I wouldn't want to impose on your first outing together. I'll just hang out with Sollux. Make sure you're not late to fifth period alright?"

Gamzee smiled as he got up, grabbing his backpack before answering. "Alright Karbro, I'll see ya later," he replied, waving over his shoulder as he walked with Tavros toward the Art building. As soon as his backpack was on he began pushing Tavros, and although Tavros objected and said he didn't have to, Gamzee smiled and continued pushing, saying he was "happy to help a motherfucker out."

The rest of lunch was spent in Miss R's room, talking about various things and joking while Tavros had his project out, not getting much done with Gamzee distracting him. He didn't mind though, and as the bell rang for fifth period Gamzee took a picture with his phone, smiling widely the whole time. They exchanged phone numbers on their way into the hall before saying their goodbyes and turning their seperate ways. On his way down the elevator Tav's phone chimed, a loud honk that sounded like a bicycle horn. He smiled, remembering Gamzee picking that ringtone specifically before they seperated. He opened the message and was greeted by the picture Gamzee had taken, a wide smile on his face as he slung his arm around Tavros's shoulder, who was also smiling. The text underneath read "HaD a BiTcHtItS tImE cHiLlIn WiTh YoU. wE'lL dEfInItElY hAvE tO gEt OuR cHiLl On AgAiN. tAlK tO yA lAtEr TaVbRo :o)"

Tavros smiled at the message, saving the picture and putting it as Gamzee's picture ID before rolling out of the now stopped elevator, the doors closing as he rolled toward class.


	12. I gOt FrIeNdS oN tHe OtHeR sIdE

It was Thursday, the day before the Claremont gig. Gamzee and Karkat had walked around Claremont after school, stapling their bright pink flyers on every surface they could, handing piles to storeowners throughout the area. They were out for a couple of hours, and headed back to Karkat's house to rehearse with Sollux and Kanaya, who played keyboard whenever they needed it.

They went through all of the songs a few times, giving Kanaya a setlist so she could practice at home if she wanted. They made it through all of the songs, checked their equipment and instruments, loaded it all into the Makaramobile, and did homework in the living room, Kanaya in an armchair, Karkat and Gamzee sharing the couch, and Sollux sitting crosslegged at the table. Kanaya and Sollux finished first as usual, packed their stuff and went back home. Karkat helped Gamzee with whatever he needed help with and soon they finished too, turning on the tv to check the weather for the next day.

Karkat sat in a corner of the couch, his arms crossed on top of his knees that were pushed against his chest. Gamzee took up the majority of the couch (as usual), one leg hanging onto the floor, his head resting against his arm and the arm of the couch as the other sat on his midsection. They sat in relative silence for a while, Karkat waiting on the weather forecast and Gamzee lost in thought. It was apparent that Gamzee wasn't paying attention and that the forecast wasn't coming up anytime soon, so Karkat paused the tv, turning to Gamzee and waiting for the bullshit he would probably spew about whatever miracle was on his mind now. He didn't have to wait long before Gamzee opened his mouth.

"Hey bro?" he asked, his sentence trailing off at the end as if he was still lost in thought.

"What is it, Gamzee?" Karkat asked, his voice not as loud or angry as it usually was.

Gamzee paused, as if still lost in thought, before speaking again. "What do you think about Tavbro?"

"He's alright, I guess. Kind of pathetic if you ask me, can't even have a goddamn converstion with him without him mumbling or stuttering. But he doesn't seem too pathetic, and he sure as fuck isn't as much of an asshole as most of our group." He looked over at Gamzee, who was still staring intently at the ceiling. "Why? What do YOU think of him?"

Gamzee smiled dreamily before speaking again. "Man, he's awesome. He's an awesome artist, has cool taste in music, he's funny, smart, fun to hang with, and fucking adorable. He's perfect, man." His smile slipped before he continued. "I wish I could hang with him more."

Karkat listened intently, and knew that Gamzee liked the wheelchair-bound dork. He had a feeling that Gamzee had a crush, but now he was sure of it. He looked back over at Gamzee, still smiling at the ceiling, and couldn't help but smile a little, too. "Have you told him about our gig tomorrow?"

"I think I mentioned it once or twice."

"Well why don't you ask him to come check it out? He'd probably wet himself with joy. Then you can hang with him after the gig, walk around The Village for a while."

Gamzee shot up, finally looking Karkat in the eye with a large ecstatic grin. "Karbro that's the most bitchtits idea I ever heard! You think he'll come?"

"I'm sure he will. And if you need help convincing him, I'll be right there." He smiled at the state Gamzee was in, practically bouncing off of the couch with excitement.

"Man I really hope he likes it, bro. I hope we don't fuck it up."

Wow, he must really like this kid if he cares how the gig goes, Karkat thought. "Don't worry Gamzee, I'm sure it'll be fine." Karkat looked back at the tv, which was still paused, before skipping to the forecast. "I'll make sure everyone practices again before the show."

"Thanks, bro."

They stayed quiet as the weather forecast came up, and they found out that it would be cloudy, but not rainy. Most likely.

"Hey bro?"

Karkat turned off the tv, putting his papers and binder in his backpack. "Yeah Gamz?"

"Would it be cool if I stayed the night again? I don't think Uncle Al'll mind."

"Sure Gamz. I'll get your blankets."

"Thanks bro."

Karkat walked down the hall to the closet, grabbing Gamzee's purple comforter from the pile of blankets on the top shelf. He practically lived here half the time, never wanting to go home to his uncle and older cousin. Not that Karkat blamed him. His uncle Alistair had always been intimidating, and cousin Kurloz had always freaked him out a little, his silence and large stitched smile a bit unnerving.

He went up the stairs, his bedroom door open and Gamzee on the black futon in nothing but purple boxers. "How many times have I told you to wear some fucking pants? You're gonna give my parents a heart attack or something."

Gamzee chuckled before grabbing his pants and pulling them back on, flopping back onto the futon he had bought and put in here a few years ago. He was silent as Karkat tossed his backpack on the floor, changing his alarm to go off an hour later (school started an hour later on Fridays), and changed quickly into a black t-shirt and plaid pajama pants. He sent messages to Kanaya and Sollux that they'd need to get to Claremont early for practice after the soundcheck before putting his phone on the bedside table.

"Hey bro?"

"What Gamzee?"

"Wanna jam before bed?"

Karkat smiled before pulling his sneakers back on. He walked to the futon, waiting for Gamzee to get up and grab his keys before they both headed to the garage. Karkat turned on the light and they both headed toward the Makaramobile, an old black van that Gamzee and Kurloz shared. It was probably older than Gamzee, with rust here and there and dents all over. Gamzee grabbed his keys and opened the back sliding door before pulling out their guitars. Karkat grabbed his before they headed back inside, locking the van and garage door behind them.

They went down the hall and back up to Karkat's room, pulling out a couple of small amps and plugging their guitars in. They tuned them quickly before Karkat started a bassline, waiting for Gamzee to recognize it. Soon Gamzee was playing along, and they started singing, alternating between themselves throughout the song, both singing during the chorus. "One by one we bite the dust, we kick the bucket and begin to rust, give up the ghost when your number's up, we all fall down. Ashes to ashes, bones to paste, you'll whither away in your resting place, eternity in a wooden case, we all fall down." They smiled throughout the song, changing their voices occasionally to voice the monsters in the background. As Gamzee sang the last verse, he ended it with maniacal laughter, throwing his head back to imitate a mad scientist or some other cliche villian.

When the song ended, Gamzee smiled before starting a new tune, Karkat soon picking up the bassline as Gamzee put his guitar down. It was "Friends On The Other Side" by Dr. Facilier, and Gamzee sang, imitating the voodoo man's accent and dance, moving around, his voice and movements as animated as the Shadow Man's. His voice was just as sinister and charismatic, his movements and voice matching the villian's.

"Don't you disrespect me, little man! Don't you deregate or deride. You're in my world now, not your world, and I got friends on the other side."

Karkat could practically hear the masks from the movie echoing "He's got friends on the other side."

Soon Gamzee was behind him, pushing him along to the table near the futon and armchair, still imitating the Shadow Man. "That's an echo, gentleman. Just a little something we have here in Louisiana, a little parlor trick, don't worry."

He sat him onto the futon as he continued, never breaking character. "Sit down at my table, put your minds at ease. If you relax it will enable me to do anything I please. I can read your future, I can change it round some too. I look deep into your heart and soul (you do have a soul don't you Lawrence?), make your wildest dreams come true." He bounded toward the chair, spinning when he sang 'round' just like the movie.

"I got voodoo, I got hoodoo, I got things I ain't even tried!" he mimicked the shadow man's movements, pretending the small box he grabbed from a nearby pile was the magic box that the shadow man had, fire and bright color exploding out before putting it back and sitting in the armchair. "And I got friends on the other side."

He's got friends on the other side.

He grabbed some playing cards from the table, pretending they were his tarot cards as he fanned them out. "The cards, the cards, the cards will tell. The past, the present, and the future as well. The cards, the cards, just take three. Take a little trip into your future with me."

Karkat grabbed six, putting one pile down in front of him and the other to his right before Gamzee contiued, grabbing and gesturing to one of the cards ih front of Karkat. "Now you young man are from across the sea, you come from two long lines of royalty. (I'm a royal myself, on my mother's side). Your lifestyle's high, but your funds are low. You need to marry a little honey who's daddy got dough." He put the card down, addressing Karkat without breaking character as he flipped Karkat's middle card. "Mom and Dad cut you off, huh playboy? Now y'all gotta get hitched, but hitchin ties you down. You just wanna be free, hop from place to place, but freedom takes green." He fanned out the remaining cards in front of him, and he flipped them over, imagining they turned into dollar bills. "It's the green, it's the green, it's the green you need." He flipped Karkat's last remaining card before continuing. "And when I looked into your future it's the green that I seen."

Karkat scooted to his right so he sat in front of the other pile of unflipped cards before Gamzee continued. "On you little man I don't wanna waste much time, you been pushed around all your life." He flipped his first card over before continuing. "You been pushed round by your mother, and your sister, and your brother. And if you was married.." he flipped the middle card over. "You'd be pushed round by your wife." He looked him in the eye as he continued singing, flipping the last card over without breaking eye contact. "But in your future, the you I see, is exactly the man you always wanted to be."

He held his hands out, crossed one over the other as he sang. "Shake my hand. Come on boys, won't you shake a poor sinner's hand?" Karkat grabbed both hands, shaking them before Gamzee continued, his voice rising and becoming less friendly and more sinister. "Yes!" Karkat could hear the bum bum bum of the voodoo masks as Gamzee sang. "Are you ready?! (are you ready?) Are you ready?" He pretended to grab the magic necklace, putting it to Karkat's finger. "Transformation central! (transformation central) Reformation central! (reformation central) Transmortification central! Can you feel it?"

"You're changin, you're changin, you're chaaangin alright. I hope you're satisfied. But if you ain't, don't blame me. You can blame my friends on the other side!" He danced wildly, legs kicking and spinning just like Facilier, landing on his knees with arms raised and head thrown back as he held the last note, laughing maniacally before his face turned serious, putting his finger to his lips and saying "Hush!"

He was still for a moment before Karkat stood from the futon, applauding and cheering the performance. Gamzee smiled as he stood, giving an exaggerated bow and pretending to tip the top hat Facilier wore. Karkat laughed but continued to applaud, shaking his head at the clown in front of him.

After packing their instruments back into the van and laying back in their respective beds, Gamzee called to Karkat quietly. "Bro?"

"Yeah Gamz?"

"We should play that song live sometime."

Karkat was quiet for a moment before smiling and answering from his bed "I'll ask Sollux to get the song and play it in our gig."

Gamzee smiled from his futon as he spoke. "Thanks Karbro."

"No problem, Gamz. Now go to bed, we got a lot to do tomorrow."

"Aye aye captain!" Gamzee said enthusiastically, giving a small salute before turning on his side and closing his eyes. Karkat smiled at the response, shaking his head slightly. Soon both boys were fast asleep, dreaming of bright voodoo masks and magic men with bright indigo eyes.


	13. AlL dOlLeD uP

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEE-

Karkat slammed his hand on the alarm clock until it finally turned off, grumbling muffled curses from under his covers the whole time. "Fucking loud as fuck piece of shit.." he mumbled before lifting the covers from his head and reading the time on the clock. He jolted out of bed, a look of panic on his face as he tried to free himself from the comforter that wound around his body like some kind of torture device. "FUCK! Gamzee get up! We're gonna be late!" He squirmed and freed his upper half from the sheets before tripping, landing on his ass as the fabric caught on his legs. He cursed more, quickly looking for his pants before finding them near the foot of his bed. He pulled them on quickly before grabbing socks and pulling them on, shoving his feet into his untied Doc Martin's. He looked up to check the time and noticed a small piece of paper, folded in half like a placecard that had his name printed neatly on the outside. He opened it quickly, reading over the note.

"G99d m9rning, Karkat. I am s9rry f9r waking y9u earlier, th9ugh y9u pr96a6ly d9 n9t remem6er as y9u seemed t9 6e very much asleep when it happened. I came t9 wake y9u 6ef9re leaving f9r sch99l 6ut y9u reminded me that y9u wake up late 9n Friday's. Y9u als9 mum6led s9mething else, 6ut I 6elieve y9u were n9t addressing me as it did n9t make any sense. I put y9ur pants 9n the end 9f the 6ed, and put 20 d9llars in y9ur fr9nt right pants p9cket f9r lunch. I als9 f9und 9ne 9f y9ur 6and flyers lying near y9ur 6ackpack, and w9uld 6e happy t9 give y9u a ride t9 9r fr9m y9ur destinati9n if y9u w9uld like. 6e safe, dear 6r9ther, and call if y9u find y9urself in any s9rt 9f tr9uble. I will 6e h9me ar9und 3pm, and will stay near the ph9ne in case 9f emergency. Make sure y9u are h9me at a decent h9ur; 9ur parents w9rry 9ver y9u even th9ugh y9u may n9t 6elieve that they d9. Again, 6e safe and have fun. Kankri"

Karkat shoved the note in his pocket before getting up, grabbing his backpack before calling out to Gamzee again. "Gamz! Get up!" His head slowly rose so he could look at Karkat from over the back of the futon. "We're gonna be late! Get up and get ready!" Gamzee's eyes widened slightly before he pulled himself to a sitting position, pulling his shoes on and grabbing a shirt and deoderant from his backpack. He put both on, zipping his backpack back up and grabbing his keys from the coffee table near the futon. 

They both hurried out the door, going to the garage and getting into Karkat's car as the garage door opened, quickly pulling out and driving toward the high school.

They sped through the subarban streets, making it to their usual parking spot just as traffic got bad. Cars lined the entire block as students tried to find a spot, and Karkat and Gamzee ran toward the front gates, backpacks thumping painfully against their backs as they headed up the stairs to Miss R's class.

They made it through the door just as the bell rang, sighing with relief as they headed to their seats next to Tavros. Tavros smiled, relieved they weren't absent to leave him without anyone to talk to during class. They quickly busied themselves, Karkat checking to make sure he hadn't left anything at home while Gamzee searched the bottom of his backpack for his iPod, pulling it out and putting a headphone in his ear before grabbing his sketchbook and pencils to draw.

They were soon working on their projects, the class buzzing with chatter and music that Miss R was playing on the radio in the back corner. As Tavros and Karkat sketched the objects in the middle of class, Gamzee remembered the conversation he had had with Karkat the night before, and quietly cleared his throat before speaking up.

"Hey Tavbro?"

Tavros turned his head to indicate that he was listening before meeting Gamzee's gaze quickly."Yeah Gamz?"

Gamzee smiled at the nickname before continuing, a feeling of butterflies prominent in his stomach. "I up and told ya about our gig today right?"

"Uh, the one you made flyers for?"

"Yeah."

"Uh, you mentioned it, but didn't really, go into detail, or anything."

"Well, it's in Claremont, and I was wondering if maybe, ya know, if you're not up and motherfuckin busy, uh.."

Gamzee was quiet for a while, his face turned down slightly to hide the look of nervousness he was sure was on his face. He took a small breath before continuing.

"I was up and wondering if you'd want to come check it out, and maybe chill with a motherfucker afterward. Walk around The Village for a while or some shit."

"Uh, sure. I'll need to tell my dad about it, and maybe find a ride because my dad will, probably be at work.."

Gamzee's face lit up with a large grin before answering quickly. "You can ride with us!"

Karkat looked toward them before speaking up, addressing Tavros. "You can ride in the front, and we'll put your wheelchair in the back with our equipment."

"Uh, actually, I was thinking of going with my friend Nepeta.. She wanted to go, and her friend Equius will be there, so he offered to give us a ride, already.."

Gamzee's smile slipped slightly before Tavros continued.

"But I'd be happy to ride home with you guys, if I'll be hanging out with you afterward."

Gamzee's smile reappeared quickly before saying, "That's bitchtits, bro! We'll have ourselves an awesome time! I really hope you like the show!"

"I'm sure I will," Tavros said with a smile. "Uh, what kind of music do you guys play, exactly?"

"Kinda depends, man. Mostly rock, punk, alternative, that kinda shit. Sometimes Kar let's me rap a little too." Gamzee said with a sly grin.

"Wow, that sounds great! I bet it'll be awesome," Tavros said enthusiastically. "I'll call my dad after class, and tell him about it. And I'll message Nepeta right now."

"Bitchtits," Gamzee replied as Tavros pulled out his phone, quickly tapping out a message before the small "ding" of Trollian echoed through the noisy classroom. "She said Equius can, give us a ride. So I'll see you guys tonight, I guess," Tavros said with an excited smile.

"Definitely," Gamzee replied before Miss R interrupted, scolding them about the importance of paying attention before going to another group of students. Gamzee and Tavros looked at each other, smiling and trying not to laugh as they got back to work, staying quiet for the rest of class.

When the bell rang the three headed toward the elevator as Tavros called his dad, explaining the situation and listening intently to the man on the other end of the line. After a while, he smiled, giving them a thumbs up as he told his dad he would be careful, he had his phone and he had a ride to and from the venue. After saying goodbye he turned to Gamzee.

"He said he wanted to meet you guys, once we got to my house, and that I can go, as long as I'm not out too late."

"Great. See you later Tavros," Karkat said as he walked toward the staircase. Gamzee stayed behind before saying "See ya later Tavbro" and heading toward the staircase as well, looking up and smiling at Tavros before heading downstairs after Karkat. Tavros smiled, excited to see them play live, before rolling into the elevator and heading to his next class.

The day seemd to drag on forever, but finally the schoolday was over. Gamzee met up with Karkat in front of his class before they headed back to his car, grabbing burgers before they headed back to Karkat's place to eat. They munched on their burgers and fries as Karkat went over the setlist again. As they ate Sollux and Kanaya came with their instruments, putting them into the Makaramobile before leaving to get ready, Sollux stealing a handful of Karkat's fries as he went out the front door. When they finished eating Karkat told Gamzee that they'd need to get ready for the gig, and Gamzee agreed, asking Karkat to drive him home so he could shower and change.

As they pulled up to the large driveway, Gamzee looked around for any cars. When he was sure there were none, he got out, grabbing his backpack and telling Karkat to pick him up in about an hour. As he pulled away and drove off, Gamzee waved, a smile on his face as he turned around and walked toward the door.

He opened it, looking around quickly before re-locking it and heading up the stairs. He threw the backpack on his bed, getting some clean clothes and putting them in the bag before grabbing his clothes for the gig and laying them out on the bed. He wanted to spiff it up a bit, and had given Karkat the idea of everyone lookin prim and proper for the show. Karkat knew he wanted to look good for Tavros, so he agreed, calling Kanaya and Sollux and giving them a heads up. Sollux was annoyed and reluctant, as usual, but gave in after bickering for a while, and Kanaya had no problem with it, even suggesting what everyone wore. As Gamzee grabbed his only button-up shirt and one of the few pairs of plack pants that didn't have a hole in them, he smiled, hoping he looked good for his favorite motherfucker. As he searched around for something to really make him look good, a tie maybe, he heard his door give a small creak, and turned to see Kurloz in the doorway, smiling and silent as usual.

"Hey Kur, thought you'd be out with Meulin or some shit."

Kurloz shook his head before signing "She didn't feel well today, so I checked up on her after school and came back home. It's nice to finally see you, Gamzee."

"You too Kur," Gamzee answered, turning back to his closet to look for something to wear. He felt a light tap on his shoulder and turned to see Kurloz start signing again. "What are you looking for?"

"Somethin to wear to our gig. We're gettin all dolled up."

"Why?"

"No reason," Gamzee answered, not wanting to bring up his new crush. He had never been that close with Kurloz, even though they had lived together almost his entire life.

"Do you want to borrow something of mine? I'm sure some of my clothes will fit you."

"You got anything to doll me up in?"

"Of course!" Kurloz signed, his smile growing slightly. He grabbed Gamzee by the wrist, pulling him down the hall to his room. His room was dark, covered in posters much like Gamzee's. Many of them glowed in the dark, bright colorful designs glowing from the walls before he switched on the light, pulling Gamzee toward the closet. He finally let go, freeing Gamzee of his firm grasp before opening his closet doors and signing "I believe I have a suit if you'd like. Or would you rather stick with your shirt and pants?"

"I'll just stick with mine. Do you have something I could wear with my clothes? It feels like somethin's up and missin."

Kurloz quirked an eyebrow, his face turning solemn with thought as his hand went to his mouth. Gamzee could practically hear him say "Hmm" under his breathe, but he probably imagined it.

Soon Kurloz's finger shot up, his smile returning as he turned back to the closet, shuffling through it as he looked for something. Soon he pulled out a plastic bag on a hanger, laying it out on the bed before unzipping it to reveal the outfit he wore to prom. It was a dark purple shirt, a pair of black slacks, a vest, tie, and a jacket. He took the jacket off before unbuttoning the vest, motioning for Gamzee to put his arms through. He buttoned it with his quick, long fingers before looking Gamzee up and down, smiling at the finished product. "It fits perfectly. Go look in the mirror."

Gamzee headed toward the full-length mirror and looked it over, turning around to look at the design on the back before giving a satisfied smile. "It's perfect, Kur. Thanks a lot, man."

"No problem," Kurloz signed in the reflection, smiling at the look on Gamzee's face before handing him the black tie. Soon Gamzee left, thanking him again before taking the vest and tie to his room and heading to the bathroom to get his sweet ablutions on. Have to smell good if I'm gonna look that good Gamzee thought with a smile as he showered a little longer than usual, making sure he was clean and smelled as good as he felt.

He smiled at his unpainted face in the mirror, shaking some of the excess water out of his hair before putting his lip ring in. He kept forgetting to put it in, and it had closed up a few months ago. He smiled again, the ring shining in the bright light as he stood, wrapping his towel around him before heading to his room to get dressed. As he pulled on his shirt, he heard Karkat's annoyed muttering as he headed up the stairs, something about "being forced into this goddamn monkey suit." Gamzee chuckled as he buttoned his shirt, his door opening and Karkat trudging in.

"Lookin good Karbro," Gamzee said with a smile as Karkat sat on his bed. He wore slacks and a matching suit jacket with an older-looking t-shirt, the clothes actually fitting him for once. Karkat grumbled slightly, looking Gamzee over and saying "You too."  
They headed down the staircase, Gamzee still pulling on the vest Kurloz had let him borrow, the tie tied loosely around his neck. They headed outside to Karkat's car, playing a cd with a couple of the songs they would play that night. They sang along, Gamzee playing air guitar as they headed to pick up the rest of the band. Kanaya lived closest to Gamzee, so they picked her up first. She smiled at the boys, looking so much better in their suits than the t-shirts they always wore.

Then they headed to Sollux's house, picking him up before heading back to Karkat's. Gamzee reapplied his facepaint as Karkat tied his tie for him, and soon they were ready. They checked the equipment one last time before heading to Claremont, about an hour's drive away with traffic. As they drove through The Village, they headed toward their venue, Pomona College. They set up in the field or quad or whatever the fuck they called it here, using a buttload of extension chords to get everything plugged in. They sat on a small stage about 5 feet off the field, and as they hauled the last of their equipment up with the help of Equius Zahhak, their unofficial roadie, they sat down, looking over the quiet field and imagining how the show would turn out. The sun was setting behind some buildings, the sky turning orange and pink as they started practicing. Soon the crowds would be showing up, and as the first few onlookers came over Gamzee couldn't help but look for the mohawked boy in the wheelchair he had been waiting for the entire night.


	14. tHE GREATEST SHOW UNEARTHED

As Nepeta got ready in her room, Tavros sat in the living room, waiting for Equius to come back to pick them up. He fidgeted in his chair a bit, rolling to the bathroom to mess with his hair for the fourth or fifth time before going back to the living room. He was sure that if he could walk he'd be pacing. Instead, he sat near the hall, waiting for Nepeta to finish changing so they could wait for Equius together. He heard the door open as Nepeta leapt down the hall, wearing a band t-shirt and jeans with her signature pea green coat and blue cat-eared beanie. She smiled excitedly as she pushed him toward the living room, curling up on the couch with him in front of her.

She smiled expectantly, her green eyes shining bright as she stared at him for a while. "Uh, what is it?" Tavros finally asked, unsure of why she had that mischievous look on her face. "You've been spending quite a bit of time with Gamzee lately. And now he's invited you to see his show AND hang out with him afterward. I see a new ship on the horizon!!" she said, her smile growing as her volume rose on the last sentence. Tavros blushed, fumbling for the right words. "We're just friends, Nepeta. Not a, uh, "new ship" or whatever. Oh god, you haven't, put us on your infamous shipping wall, have you?" He got a coy smile in return and groaned.

"Nep, I've already told you, we're just friends."

"That's what they all say!" Nepeta shot back, still smiling widely. Her determination wouldn't waiver, and Tavros knew it, so he dropped it all together. Just as the slight argument ended, a knock was heard on the other side of the door. "Nepeta? Are you and Tavros ready?"

"Yep!" Nepeta said cheerfully, already off the couch and at the door. She opened the door, Equius holding the screen door open as she went back to push Tavros to the truck. Equius helped him in, putting his wheelchair in the back before heading toward Claremont. Nepeta played loud pop songs the entire time, trying to get Equius to sing along. As they made their way toward Claremont, Tavros became more and more nervous and excited. He wasn't sure what was more prominent, the feeling of giddiness or the butterflies in his belly, but either way he smiled widely as they turned a corner, heading toward a large series of buildings.They drove into a parking lot, Equius parking the truck and going to get the wheelchair as Nepeta practically bounced in her seat, smiling widely at Tavros before they both got out of the truck.

The sun was setting as they made their way to the field, the sky an array of pinks, oranges, and dark blues. People crowded around a spot that must have been the stage, but from the chair Tavros couldn't see much except for a lot of people. Equius muscled through the crowd toward the front, pushing Tavros so he could actually see the performance. They slowed to a stop right at the front, a bit off to the right of center stage. The lights of the campus went out before a few stage lights were flipped on, the lights a little dim but bright enough for everyone to see Gamzee stride to center stage, swiping the mic from Karkat with a grin. "How you motherfuckers doin tonight?!"

The entire audience roared in response, everyone seemed just as excited as Tavros was. He smiled as he watched Gamzee walk to the right, handing the mic back to an annoyed-looking Karkat as Gamzee played a high note that seemed to wash over the entire campus. He moved something up and down, making the note waiver a bit before Karkat grabbed the micstand roughly, leaning forward and barking out "One two three four!"

The drums and bass blasted along with Gamzee's guitar, the pace was fast and the crowd screamed even more. A few people near the middle started a small mosh pit as Karkat began to sing, his voice loud and rough and perfect for the song he belted out with an intense scowl plastered across his features. He sang quickly, his mouth close to the mic as he screamed into it while Gamzee sang along during the chorus. Tavros noticed that everyone on stage was dressed up, wearing different variations of suits, ties, and other classy garments. He couldn't help but look over the dapper outfit Gamzee was wearing, so different from the baggy pants and t-shirts he always wore. Soon the song was over and another started quickly, Karkat's eyes glinting in the light as he barked into the mic, the pace just as quick as the song before.

"I will never wanna date you while I can't learn to hate you. If you somehow learn to love me well, that's just my luck. I will never ever care if you only want a friendship, but somehow you're disappointed that I'm not a slut! I don't wanna fuck you, I don't wanna fuck you, I don't wanna fuck you, so fuck you!" He raised his middle finger high as he sang the last bit of the chorus, a mischievous grin replacing his scowl as he paused for a quick breathe before starting the second verse.

"In my mind there is no doubt that you've been in and out of many different back seats many times before. I can always see you tease me when I won't leave the front seat now it seems you're disappointed that I'm not a whore! I don't wanna fuck you, I don't wanna fuck you, I don't wanna fuck you," quick pause, middle finger salute," so fuck you!" He repeated the chorus a couple more times, Gamzee singing along with a smile as he sang the so fuck you's, seeing Karkat flip off the crowd. As the song ended, the whole crowd was flipping Karkat off, and he returned the gesture with both hands raised high.

There was a pause as Karkat walked toward a stool, grabbing a water bottle and taking a few gulps before heading back to the mic and starting up a new bassline, this one not as fast as the songs before. Tavros instantly recognized the beat, his head bobbing along to the song as Karkat began to sing, his voice just as high as Brian Molko's. He found himself singing along, a large smile on his face as he sang with Karkat, yelling the words but still drowned out by the speakers. Karkat sang with conviction, always leaning forward, his face slowly changing from anger to pain and back, and everyone cheered wildly as the song ended. Karkat smiled slightly as they cheered, looking down at his feet as Gamzee walked up and patted him on the back with a proud smile.

They continued playing a couple more songs, alternating from punk to alternative, before Karkat stopped after finishing another Placebo song. He went back to the stool, taking a few gulps of his water before switching places with Gamzee. He rubbed his throat absent-mindedly as he took his place to the right of center stage.

The lighting changed suddenly, the stage going dark as Gamzee made his way to the front. The campus was quiet with anticipation as all eyes watched the dark stage expectantly. Suddenly, the sound of a record player and carnival music filled the air before an enthusiastic voice filled the void. "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and ghouls, step right up! Behind this curtain lies a ghastly concoction of delight, horror, fantasy and terror. Your every wish is our command, your every whimsical desire brought to life. But I'm warning you: there's always a price. Welcome to the greatest show unearthed!" The lights suddenly shone bright, tossing pink and purple light across the stage as Gamzee sang enthusiastically, strumming along to the song. There seemed to be recordings of other people singing throughout the song, filling the area with ghoulish, cartoony voices along with Gamzee's. "Welcome to the lower birth, the greatest show unearthed! We appear without a sound, the darkest show around! We will leave you in a daze, madness, murder, dismay! We will disappear at night with blood on the concrete." The song was dark and catchy, and Tavros couldn't help but smile and bob his head to the beat as it continued before it slowly faded and eventually stopped.

Gamzee grinned widely, wiggling his eyebrows as he scanned the crowd while the drums kicked in at a slow pace. Tavros recognized it instantly as the guitar came in, and he smiled widely, chuckling before Gamzee began to sing Three Point One Four.

His smile was wide as he sung, his face serene. His head bobbed to the beat as he continued, his eyes twinkling happily with a smirk as he sung the lyrics to the chorus. He smiled through the whole song, and he almost started laughing as he sang the last high-pitched lines.

He chuckled as he backed away to strum at the end, smiling widely with his head down, eyes on the floor. He looked up as the next song started, this one from Mindless Self Indulgence. Tavros grinned again, recognizing the song instantly as the first few sound affects were blasted from the speakers. Gamzee stepped forward before playing the first notes, tilting his head up to sing into the mic, his eyes closed. Tavros sang with him, his smile never leaving his face.

"I've been denied all the best ultrasex. I've been denied all the best ultrasex."

He suddenly jumped up, walking quickly to the left as he sang, the lyrics spilling from his mouth, singing just as fast as Jimmy Urine. Tavros noticed Kanaya behind a keyboard, playing with a light smile on her face, as if she was trying to hold back from laughing at Gamzee's antics. He ran around the entire stage, just as energetic as Jimmy, never missing a beat. He jumped from speakers, ran around, and seemed to be having a great time, getting everyone to sing along as he grinned through the whole thing. Tavros couldn't help but grin at his friend, seeing him have so much fun. As the song ended and Gamzee stopped to get some water, Tavros only had one thought in his mind before the next song began: "I'm really glad I came."


	15. SoUlMaTeS nEvEr DiE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you may need to read chapter seven again before reading this chapter

As he went to grab some much-needed agua, Gamzee grinned at the deafening roar of the crowd. He loved makin motherfuckers happy, and they definitely seemed happy. He wished that he could find Tavbro though. He'd been scanning the crowd the whole show but had yet to see that familiar mocha mohawk. He finished chugging and readjusted the strap on his guitar before walking back toward the micstand as the keyboard and background music came in, playing the first few notes of another Creature Feature song. He grinned as the lights went down again, casting an eery purple glow that barely lit the stage as he grabbed the micstand and started reciting the lyrics. "Alright everybody sit down, quiet down, listen up. I brought you all here to recite the annual obituaries. Like every year we'll start with A and we'll end with Z. Alright is the band ready?" "Ready," a monstrous voice from the speakers answered. "Alright, hit it boils," Gamzee stated before another voice started counting and the music started up. He smiled as he lifted his head to sing.

"A is for Amber who drowned in a pool, B is for Billy who was eaten by ghouls, C is for Curt with disease of the brain, D is for Daniel derailed on a train. E is for Eric who was buried alive, F is for Frank who was stabbed through the eye. G is for Greg who died in the womb, H is for Heather who was sealed in a tomb." As he began singing the chorus, the monstrous voices sang along, and his smile grew. "One by one we bite the dust. We kick the bucket and begin to rust. Give up the ghost when your number's up, we all fall down. Ashes to ashes, bones to paste, you'll whither away in your resting place. Eternity in a wooden case, we all fall down." The music kicked in a bit louder, and Gamzee stepped back to play his guitar before taking in a deep breathe to continue singing.

"I is for Isaac who lost his front brakes, J is for Johnny who was bitten by snakes. K is for Kimmy who was shot in the head, L is for Larry who bled and bled. M's for Marie who was burned to a crisp, N is for Nickie who was pummeled by fists. O is for Olive who lived life too fast, P is for Pat who swallowed some glass." The monster voices came in again, singing as Gamzee stepped back to play guitar and catch his breathe before starting the chorus again. "One by one we bite the dust. We kick the bucket and begin to rust. Give up the ghost when your number's up, we all fall down. Ashes to ashes, bones to paste, you'll whither away in your resting place. Eternity in a wooden case, we all fall down." He played the guitar, wishing he could grab some water, but he cleared his throat instead before he stepped up to the mic and finished the song.

"Q is for Quentin who took the wrong trail, R is for Reyna who rotted in jail. S is for Steve who was shot with a bow, T is for Tori who froze in the snow. U is for Urich who was trampled by hooves, V's for Vanessa who fell off a roof. W's for Will who was hit by a car, X is for Xavier who sunk in the tar. Y is for Yesi who fell from a plane, Z is for Zach who simply went," he paused as he played the last few notes on his guitar, lifting it up a bit at the higher notes before leaning in to sing, "insane." The crowd roared and Gamzee's smile grew as he went back to get more water. Karkat was heading the same way, so Gamzee took his time handing him a bottle as he started up a quick conversation with his bro.

"You see Tav yet?"

He took a couple gulps before answering. "I haven't exactly been looking, but I think he's in the front."

"Shit, how'd I miss him if he was up in the motherfuckin first row?"

"Because your blind. What's next?"

Gamzee grinned as he answered. "How bout we change it up a bit? I'm feelin some Sublime."

Karkat rolled his eyes, muttering "You fucking stoner" before taking another drink. Gamzee laughed, slappping him on the back and making him sputter as he tried not to choke, coughing and punching him as he regained the ability to breathe properly.

Gamzee took a few gulps as Karkat headed to Sollux, telling him the change in the set. "Which song?" Gamzee heard Sollux ask, and Gamzee called over to him as he put the bottle down. "I'll start it up brother, you'll know it when you hear it." He then walked toward Kanaya, readjusting his strap as he headed to the side of the stage. "We won't be needin your services for the next couple a songs, sister. You can have yourself a break."

"Thank you, Gamzee. I'm utterly exhausted from standing in place and playing keyboard," she answered, her voice giving no hint that her statement was laden with sarcasm. She smiled before continuing, "I'm going down to see someone in the crowd, if the security will allow it. I'll be back up in say, two songs?"

"Sounds good to me sister. Don't get your shoes all fucked up, I think the ground might be muddy. And if any fuckers try anything I'll be happy to help a sister out." He'd seen a few shady motherfuckers out there, and more than a couple checkin out the sister. Kanaya patted him on the shoulder, smiling at him as if she were reassuring a child. "I'm sure I'll be fine, Gamzee. I'll just be in the front so I may not even need to go into the crowd itself. I'll be back shortly." She smiled one last time before heading toward the stairs, Gamzee rushing past her to hold her hand as she went down the steep steps, steadying her in her heels.

She smiled condescendingly, her footing steady and movements graceful, and Gamzee realized she didn't need any help. She smiled and thanked him anyway, and he let go as she walked in front of the crowd, heading toward the other side of the stage. She smiled and waved, nodding to a few as the crowd cheered and reached out to her. Gamzee smiled and headed back to center stage, making eye contact with the keyboard player as she stopped to talk to one of the security guards that kept the fans at bay. He looked over his shoulder, grinning at Karkat before playing the opening of one of his favorite Sublime songs. The crowd roared as the rest of the band recognized it and started playing along, and Gamzee stepped forward with a grin to sing, his voice low.

"Mucho gusto, me llamo Bradley, I'm hornier than Ron Jeremy. And if ya wanna get popped in your knee just, wipe that look off your bati face. You hate me cuz I got what ya need, a pretty little daughter that we call Mexi. And if ya wanna get beat physically it will be over in a minute if ya," a pause for the sound effect, the crowd screaming as Gamzee grinned before continuing. "So she told me to come over and I took that trip, and then she pulled out my mushroom tip, and when it came out it went drip drip drip I didn't know she had the GI Joe kung fu grip and it went uh, and the girl caress me down. Uh, and that's that lovin sound and it went uh, and the girl caress me down. Uh, and that's that lovin sound."

As he sang Gamzee couldn't help but grin at the high-pitched screams of the female fans, and more than a few cat calls as he sang. He grinned, a mischievious glint in his eyes as he rolled his hips and the screams grew louder. They were practically deafening as he sang in Spanish, and he wondered idly if anyone even knew what he was saying. "En el otro lado, es donde vivi, con mi’hjita, que se llama Mexi, su hermana, si me quieré, y ahorita, tenemos un bebe. Sus padres, sus tios, me trataron matar, but they did not get too far," he sang with a grin before continuing. He smiled as he sang, scanning the crowd for anyone who might know what the fuck he was saying, when he saw a familiar brown mohawk in the front row. His grin grew wider as Tavros smiled back up at him, bobbing his head to the beat. But as he continued singing, he noticed Tavros stop moving abruptly, his face growing red as soon as Gamzee sang the line "Pero la cosa que me gusta mas es panochita." Looks like someone does know what I'm saying, Gamzee thought with a sly grin as he turned away to finish the song. He couldn't concentrate on the song if he was starin at Tavbro too long.

As the song ended, the crowd roared and cheered, the screams of the female fans more prominent than before. Gamzee grinned, wiggling his eyebrows at Karkat as he gave a small smile, rolling his eyes again before starting a new bassline, bobbing his head as the rest of the band played along. Gamzee grinned at the song choice before lifting his head to sing. His voice was getting a little hoarse, but it made the song sound better in his opinion, so he continued, a lopsided smile growing on his face as he played the last few notes, letting the last hang in the air, long and high, before Karkat started another bassline, and Gamzee started singing again. "Mom and Dad went to a show, dropped me off at Grandpa Joe's, kicked and screamed said please don't go." The beginning was melow, almost as if he were talking instead of singing. He loved playing this song live, and sang with more conviction as his voice got louder and the song progressed. "Said why don't you stop your crying? Go outside and ride your bike. That's what I did, I do what I'm told." Karkat sang along during the chorus, Gamzee leaning toward the micstand more as he sang, almost yelling the rest of the song. The last line was quieter than the rest, and the song was over. He looked up to see Tavros smiling widely, and he grinned back before going back to get some more water.

Karkat was back there too, and finished his drink as Gamzee approached. "What are we playing now? Creature Feature?"

"Yeah man, I'm thinkin Corpse In My Bed."

"Sounds good. Have you seen Boy Wonder yet?"

"Yeah man, it looks like he's havin a blast!" Gamzee said with an excited grin. Karkat smirked before his face got serious again. "We better rap it up soon. I don't know how long these mall cops can keep the crowd back. I saw a couple shitheads getting pretty close to climbing the barrier."

"Alright man, I'm gettin kinda tired anyway," Gamzee replied, rolling his sore neck and shoulders.

"I think everyone is. How about we play the last three songs and call it quits? Go grab something to eat or something?"

"Sounds like a plan, bro," Gamzee said with a grin before taking a drink and heading back to the micstand. Kanaya was already back behind the keyboard as the speakers played the recording that signaled the beginning of the song. "Ladies and gents, this next band hails from Los Angeles, California, and they're here to answer the question we're all thinking: does love ever truly die?" The drums started up and the voice continued the introduction, but it was soon drowned out by the keyboard and drums, the bass and guitar following quickly as Gamzee started to sing. "Is it wrong to have a corpse in my bed? I don't think so even if she is dead. Is it disturbing, is it a crime? She's been expired for quite some time." The crowd cheered again before he leaned back toward the mic and started the next verse. "I couldn't let her repose underground, a feast for worms inside her burial mound. Consecrated by the powers above, we fit like a severed hand in glove. My only complaint's the perfume she wears, a mix of rancid milk and moldy pears. I'm just scared, don't wanna be alone even if she's just skin and bone."

He stepped back as he played guitar, looking toward Kanaya with a smile as she played, turning to him and smiling in return before he stepped back up to sing. "Her skin is dry and body full of dust. One day I'm afraid she just might combust. And I could never think of leaving her side, even though it's been years since she died. My only complaint's the perfume she wears, a mix of rancid milk and moldy pears. I'm just scared, don't wanna be alone even if she's just skin and bone." The crowd cheered as he played the solo, bobbing his head to the beat before stepping back to the mic to finish it off.

"Let me reiterate what has been said. Is it really that wrong to have a corpse in my bed? I'm just scared, don't wanna be alone even if she's just skin and bone." The recording started up again just as the song ended. "Thank you for coming in, my dear friends. Now, I must bid you farewell." The crowd cheered, and Gamzee grinned again before the next song started up, the sound of something sizzling coming from the speakers before the background music started up, the keyboard and drums coming in first before Gamzee played the beginning chords and started singing, drawing out the words in a slight whine. "Ounce for ounce, blood for blood. You get a taste and it's never enough. Pound for pound, eye for an eye. You get the thirst and it never runs dry." He found himself moving to the music, his shoulders popping up to the beat before he'd bend his knees, his neck bending slightly as he tilted his head up to sing parts of the verses. "Piece by piece, bite by bite, relish the flavor and swallow your plite. Inch by inch, slice by slice, dress your guest and season with vice." He grinned at the pause, tapping his foot to the beat before leaning in to start the chorus. "Let me clarify before we begin. Am I inducing under the skin." His knees bent as his neck rolled up as he sang "under" before standing up straight with a devilish grin. "Your disposition seems a trifle bland. It's time to learn how to serve man." He rolled his hips as he sang "serve", drawing the word out a little as he grinned at the screaming audience.

He stepped back, still grinning as he played the solo before starting the next verse. He grinned on and off, especially during the chorus, where he rolled his hips again, and more high-pitched screaming made him grin even wider. As the song ended, the crowd was deafening, and he saw a couple of girls try to climb over the small metal barrier. Security stopped them before they could, placing them gently back on their side of the barrier. Gamzee looked back at Karkat, who was looking out onto the audience in a grim sort of determination, as if waiting for the mass of fans to crash onto the stage like an unstoppable wave. They had to end this show quick, before a riot broke out. Gamzee turned toward Sollux, giving him a small nod indicating this was the last song. Sollux nodded back and the speakers started playing another recording before the band members each started playing their respective instruments, their faces a bit solemn before Gamzee started singing the lyrics of their last song.

"I forever dream within a dream of a certain city in the sea. As I walk the valley of unrest behind this mask of crimson death."

He looked out onto the crowd as he sang, the faces of at least a hundred people staring back at him. He looked toward the bouncers, no longer having to stop anyone from jumping over. For now. Gamzee stopped looking at the bouncers, the faces, anything to distract himself. He set his eyes on a spot near the middle of the crowd, not really seeing anything as he focused on the song, pouring his heart into every word, his voice growing louder and more passionate as the chorus started up.

"I can’t explain just how it feels, the thought of my premature burial. Inside this oblong box I lie with the hopes I’ll be buried alive."

He looked down as he stepped back , his face solemn. He was serious throughout the song, his face almost pained by the sadness of it. He loved this song, even if it was sad. He looked up to sing, backed away and looked down to play another solo, concentrating entirely on the song. He wasn't even aware of the crowd anymore, of the roar of the people just a few feet away. He looked up, finally focusing on a few faces near the front as he sang another verse. "Well I'm the man who's used up, washed up, bricked up. Descent into maelstrom, bedlam, redrum. Bet the devil my head, misled, bloodshed. Heart under the floorboards beats for Lenore nevermore."

He went into the chorus again, his voice loud and passionate as he sang. The keyboard played and his eyes closed as background noises came from the speakers. He stepped forward, opening his eyes to sing the chorus once more, his voice low and sad as the music slowly got quieter. "I can’t explain just how it feels, the thought of my premature burial. Inside this oblong box I lie with the hopes I’ll be buried alive."

As he stepped back, the crowd went crazy, the sound was deafening and put a small smile on Gamzee's face. He focused his gaze on the spot he had been staring at as he sang, and his smile quickly disappeared, leaving a shocked expression on his usually happy face. He could no longer hear or see the crowd, cheering and screaming. He only saw a tall, thin frame, long dark hair in familiar waves. Those large brown eyes he had always loved. "Anna," he whispered, more of a breathe than a word. She was here.

He didn't hear Karkat as he called out to him, hear him curse as he realized what Gamzee had seen. He didn't feel him pull him away by the wrist, or realize they were off the stage and in the van, already driving away from the campus. He didn't hear the worried murmurs of Kanaya, the curses from Karkat. The only thing on his mind was the girl that had never really left, the girl he swore he saw in the crowd. She was here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gamzee's setlist  
> 1\. The Greatest Show Unearthed by Creature Feature  
> 2\. Three Point One Four by Bloodhound Gang  
> 3\. Faggot by Mindless Self Indulgence  
> 4\. A Gorey Demise by Creature Feature  
> 5\. Caress Me Down by Sublime  
> 6\. Aneurysm by Nirvana  
> 7\. Sliver by Nirvana  
> 8\. Corpse In My Bed by Creature Feature  
> 9\. How To Serve Man by Creature Feature  
> 10\. Buried Alive by Creature Feature


	16. sANDWICHES AND SHOPPING

Tavros bobbed his head to the song, not sure what it was but loving it anyway. Gamzee had taken the stage, and was singing with a sly grin on his face about.. cannibalism? The crowd was really loud, especially the high-pitched screams of the girls a few feet away. He sang the chorus again, rolling his hips at the end, making the screaming get louder and Tavros blush a little. Or maybe a lot. He tried to ignore it as he listened to the rest of the song, and another started. He noticed a couple of the girls had pushed their way to the front and were trying to climb up to the stage, but security stopped them before they got far. He also noticed Gamzee turn to Sollux and give a small nod before Kanaya started playing over a recording of what sounded like a line from some old horror movie. Everyone looked serious, including Gamzee, who was stepping up to the mic.

"I forever dream within a dream of a certain city in the sea. As I walk the valley of unrest behind this mask of crimson death."

He had a far-off look as he sang, as if he wasn't thinking about anything but the song he sang with conviction. He seemed to snap out of it during the middle of the song, giving a small, sad smile to a few people in the crowd. As he went back into the chorus his voice rose, he leaned forward, tilting the mic as he screamed the words. He looked like he would start crying any minute.

Just as he finished the chorus again, his voice low, the crowd roared at an almost deafening volume, and he finally seemed to focus again, giving another small smile. He looked up, still smiling, but suddenly stopped. His smile disappeared, his mouth opening slightly. He wouldn't stop staring, even when Karkat called out to him. He looked out at the crowd, searching for whatever Gamzee was staring at, and his eyes widened before narrowing in anger, probably muttering a few curses as he pulled Gamzee away.  


Kanaya went to the mic, thanking the audience for coming, before she and Sollux headed after the other's, exchanging confused glances.

A few people from the crowd grumbled about the suddenness of the end of the concert as everyone made their way to the exits, or their dorms. Nepeta talked excitedly but Tavros didn't hear most of the conversation, lost in thought. What had Gamzee been staring at?

As the trio made their way to the parking lot, heading back to Equius' truck, a loud honk blared from Tavros' pocket and he scrambled to answer it.

"Hello?" he asked quickly, hoping Gamzee was alright.

"Tavros?" came a voice that definitely wasn't Gamzee's. 

"Karkat?" Tavros asked, a bit confused. "What's up?" 

"I just wanted you to know that we can still hang out with you. Gamzee's... he'll be alright, but I think he'd feel a lot better once you got here. I think he just needs to hang out with some friends."

"Alright, I'll be there. Uh, where exactly, are you guys?"

"A little diner on Yale called the Village Grille." 

"Alright, I'll be there in a few minutes." 

"Thanks Tavros." The line went dead, and Tav looked to the others as he put his phone in his pocket. "Can you guys drop me off at the Village Grille? I think Gamzee needs some help." 

"Sure Tavros! We'd be happy to give ya a lift!" Nepeta answered quickly, and Tavros knew she was dying to know what was happening. They soon got back into Equius's truck, making their way to the small diner. They parked nearby, Equius and Nepeta walking with him most of the way, Equius pushing as Nepeta chatted, obviously avoiding the fact that she was dying of curiosity. As they turned the corner to the entrance, they stopped, saying goodbye before heading back to the truck as Tav made his way inside the diner. He entered the room, quickly scanning it before seeing Gamzee sitting in a booth across from Karkat, Sollux and Kanaya sitting in the booth behind him, looking confused and worried. Tavros rolled toward them, greeting Karkat quietly before stopping. "Hey Gamzee," he said, not sure if he'd respond. He seemed to be staring at nothing in particular, but slowly lifted his head when Tavros addressed him. He looked to him, slowly, before finally giving an unusually quiet greeting. "Hey Tav," he said simply, eyes soon wandering back to the point he had his eyes set on before. Karkat looked to Tavros, eyebrows furrowed in obvious concern for his friend. Tavros locked his wheels before lifting himself out of his chair, pulling himself into the booth next to Gamzee. Gamzee didn't seem to notice, still looking at the spot on the table in front of him. It was quiet for a while before Karkat quietly cleared his throat, looking to Tav before speaking. "So how did you like the show, Tavros?" 

"It was awesome," he said, a small grin making it's way across his face. "I'll have to come to more of your concerts, if I can. 

"Glad you liked it Tavbro," Gamzee said quietly, Karkat and Tavros quickly looking to him as he continued to look at the table as if nothing had happened. Soon a waitress came over, taking their orders before sauntering away, leaving the table quiet. Tavros took out his ipod, fiddling with it more than anything, before putting it back in his pocket. Karkat continually looked to Gamzee, and Tavros did too from time to time, until their food came. Karkat didn't touch his, watching Gamzee absentmindedly pick up a couple French fries, dunking them in ketchup before eating. Tavros took a bite of his sandwich, looking to Karkat as if asking what he could do to help. Karkat gave a small shrug, not sure what to do for his friend. "That looks pretty damn good, bro," Gamzee finally said. Tavros turned to see him eyeing his sandwich as he stirred the ketchup on his plate with a French fry. "Mind if I have a bite?" Tavros shook his head, handing the quarter of the sandwich over. Gamzee took a large bite, smiling after chewing a while. "Damn, that's good," he saod quietly, a small smile creeping onto his face. Karkat relaxed visibly, shoulders sagging as he breathed a sigh of relief. They soon all began eating, the silence much less awkward now that Gamzee seemed to be coming around. Tavros was taking taking a sip of his milkshake when he saw the first fry fly across the table, hitting Karkat on the forehead. He looked up quickly, eyes narrowing slightly at Gamzee as he gave a small, mischievous grin. "Oh, it's on now, fucker." Soon food was flying across the table, Tavros soon joining as they laughed. After making a bit of a mess, an annoyed waitress asked them to leave, and they did, food still in their hair and genuine smiles on all of their faces as they headed across the street. 

They walked down the sidewalk, enjoying each other's company before something caught Gamzee's attention. "Oh man Tav, have you ever been to Rhino??" he asked excitedly, looking hopefully at Tavros. 

"Uh, no?" he answered, Gamzee giving a small gasp at the response. "Well we gotta go now!" he said, going around to push him across the street toward a shop with dark walls and high windows. He helped him up the step into the shop, pushing him forward a bit as an employee with intricate tattoos running up and down his arms welcomed them. Tavros looked around, a bit in awe at the store. Shirts and posters hung on the walls, records in the back and rows of cds and movies filling up most of the store. He rolled toward the cds, looking through a few. Everything seemed to be in alphabetical order by artist. Tavros flipped through the A's, stopping at an old AFI cd Rufioh used to listen to. Gamzee, who stood beside him, smiled at the cd before speaking. "Nice choice man, old school AFI's always nice to jam to." Tavros smiled before looking down the aisle, seeing books and trinkets on the far wall. They ended up spending at least an hour in the store, flipping through merchandise as they talked about music. It seems he had a similar taste in music to Gamzee and Karkat, and they spoke at length about some of their favorite artists. Soon they had a couple t-shirts and a book on Salvador Dali at the counter, Gamzee handing Tav the bag with hhis shirt and the book. "You gotta check out his stuff, man. Dali was a bitchin artist, you gotta check it out." 

Soon, the three met up with Kanaya and Sollux, making their way back to an old, slightly rusted van Gamzee called the Makaramobile. Tavros sat in the passenger seat, his chair folded in the back with Karkat, Sollux and Kanaya as Gamzee drove. They listened to music on the way, Gamzee and Karkat talking every now and then about another show they were doing soon. "You wanna come Tav? It'll be pretty awesome," Gamzee said, taking his eyes off the road to give him an eyebrow wiggle. Tavros gave a small snort before speaking. "I'm not really, into the whole, party thing. Besides, my wheelchair makes it, kinda hard to, you know, get around. Especially when it's crowded." Gamzee frowned, obviously disappointed. "Alright bro, that's cool. We'll see ya at school then," he said, and suddenly they were pulling over at a house a few blocks from Tavros's own home. "Here's your stop, Solbro," Gamzee called behind him, Sollux already heading toward the door. "I'll grab the drums after the party, alright Gamz?" he asked, stepping onto the small patch of grass between the street and sidewalk in front of the house. "Alright, brother. See ya later," Gamzee answered, giving a small wave before driving up the hill toward the nicer part of town. They eventually stopped in front of an impressive two-story home, Kanaya getting up and heading toward the door. "I'm glad you enjoyed the show, Tavros. I'll se you all soon," she said, stepping out and heading toward the house. They then made their way back down the hill, turning onto Tav's street and pulling over near the mailbox. They all piled out, Karkat taking Tav's chair out and putting it so he could easily get in before they all headed down the sidewalk to the front door. Tavros pulled out his keys, unlocking the door before calling into the bright living room. "Dad? I'm back. I brought my friends." Soon a tall, slightly muscular man came into view, smiling at Tavros before scanning the unfamiliar faces of Gamzee and Karkat. "These must be your friends," he said, stepping forward and extending a hand for them to shake. "Hello boys, it's nice to meet you," he said as they shook hands, his smile still present. They chatted for a while, telling them about the classes they took and the stuff they were doing in Drawing II. But soon, they said good bye, Gamzee ruffling Tav's hair as they headed out the door. He heard the van start up and head down the road, getting quieter until there was no sound but the tv on in the other room. "They seemed very nice," Mr. Nitram said finally, smiling as Tav smiled back. "Did you have fun, Tavros?" 

"Yeah Dad, they were actually really good," he said happily, his dad smiling in response. "I'm glad. You better get to bed though, Tavros, it's pretty late." 

"Alright Dad," Tavros answered with a smile, the bag from Rhino rustling a little in his lap as he made his way to his room. He put his shirt on the desk, the book beside it, before changing into his night shirt and climbing into bed. Before drifting off, he heard his phone give a familiar honk, the screen lighting up the dark room. He smiled as he picked it up, opening the new text. "GlAd YoU hAd FuN bRo. We'Ll SeE yA sOoN! aNd DoN't FoRgEt To ChEcK oUt ThAt BoOk I gOt Ya! :o)" Tavros smiled before typing out a quick response. "tHANKS AGAIN, gAMZEE. iT WAS REALLY FUN, hANGING OUT WITH YOU GUYS, aND SEEING THE SHOW. aND DON'T WORRY, I'LL CHECK IT OUT TOMORROW }:)" He set the phone to vibrate before putting it back on the table, the screen lighting up and the phone buzzing just a minute or so later. "GlAd To HeAr It BrO! tAlK aT yA lAtEr TaV! nIgHt!" Tavros smiled, saying goodnight before putting his phone down, soon drifting off to sleep. 


End file.
